A desert - in the middle of Japan? Not quite, but the Tottori Sand Dunes are a spectacular sight and a hidden gem for anyone visiting the area.

Lakes? In my frozen Antarctica? This in-depth (brrr!) look at 7 amazing Antarctic lakes shows us the 7th continent still has a few tricks up its frosty sleeve.

Immerse yourself in a new culture, learn valuable skills and make a difference on one of these 13 fun volunteer vacations in places like Belize and Australia.

On a beach in Mexico, garbage from around the world washes up and settles on the sand. Photographer Alejandro Duran manages to make this sad waste look lovely.

You may not think that spending your day inside a nuclear power plant cooling tower is a recipe for fun, but Wunderland Kalkar might just change your views.

Dazzling in variety and as unique as snowflakes, the sands of the world's beaches take on a whole new level of awesomeness when viewed up close and personal.

Travelers going through Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport can take a pleasant time out in the new indoor/outdoor nature park featuring "mixed reality technology."

A light burns eternally in a field in Turkmenistan. The Gates of Hell crater has been on fire continuously since 1971, creating a bizarre tourist attraction.

Among the 42 sites considered for inscription on UNESCO's World Heritage List this June are 10 new natural properties deserving of appreciation and protection.

An artist injects the bodies of small animals with dyes to create tiny works of art that art part science and entirely fascinating.

The Bisti Egg Garden is an unusual, atypical and accessible rock formation located in the Bisti Wilderness Area near Farmington, New Mexico. Eggs-cellent!

These 7 flowers represent the world's largest, smallest, deadliest and smelliest, from prehistoric desert blooms to lilies that stand nearly 10 feet tall.

Dreaming about a dip in a cool crystal-clear pool? These 13 natural swimming holes around the world, from Alabama to Laos, will tempt you to make travel plans.

In the grey center of Madrid, tiny bits of cheery green appeared recently under the protective arms of miniature greenhouses.

From stray dogs that ride the metro in Moscow to a species of mosquito that lives only underground, life has adapted to the modern world in strange ways.