The monkey treefrog of the Peruvian Amazon is slow. S L O W. Watching it climb, the frog hypnotically slows down time with its cautiously reaching arms. It makes you think: before the invention of the motion picture camera, how would people describe those moments that unfold in slow motion? Tom McNamara
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Today is apparently National Nature Photography Day, according to the North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA). We’re big fans of the natural world here at PopSci, because from the plains to the mountains, costal beaches to inland lakes, we find that nature never fails to inspire, motivate, and awe us.
A little over 30 years ago, the Harvard biologist E.O. Wilson coined the term Biophilia. Biophilia is a theory to explain what Wilson saw as an innate human tendency to search out connections with nature and other forms of life. Biophilia is why we jazz up our offices with plants, bring cats and dogs into our homes, and spend hours puttering around the garden. It’s why we’ll pay more for a hotel room with ocean views, and why a neighborhood with big leafy trees seems more welcoming than an endless sea of concrete.
Studies are increasingly showing that spending time in the natural world isn’t just fun—it’s also good for us. Time spent outdoors has been linked to everything from improving eye development in children, to regulating mood, to increasing fitness, to even helping us heal more quickly after getting sick.
Of course, unless you actually work outside (as a farmer, for example, or perhaps a park ranger), we know just how hard it can be to make it to the great outdoors. The average American spends only seven percent their time in the open air. We spend 87 percent of our time indoors; the remaining 6 percent in cars. National Nature Photography Day is a lovely reminder to get out into nature, and a wonderful time to share some photos of our favorite experiences with you.
So in honor of National Photography day, here are some of the PopSci staff’s favorite photos—ones we’ve taken ourselves during adventures in the natural world. And we want to see your gorgeous nature photos, too. Tag them on Instagram and Twitter with #PopSciLovesNature and we’ll feature our favorites on the site. Note: by using our hashtag, you’re giving us the right to repost your images on our social channels or website.
A cane toad in the Peruvian Amazon. Tom McNamaraBison in Yellowstone. Tom McNamara
A black bear cub stopped by to say hello in the Berkshires last summer. We stayed inside and kept our distance. Mary Beth GriggsNorth Carolina. Mary Beth GriggsDinosaur spotting! Mary Beth Griggs
Sometimes, the natural world comes to us—as is the case with peacocks in New York City, which roam the grounds of St. John the Divine Church. Russ SmithDoe, a deer. Russ SmithA gaggle of geese. Russ Smith
View from the Alaskan railroad—it was an amazing trip! Stan HoraczekA serene Blue Jay. Stan HoraczekA simple thistle can be so lovely. Stan Horaczek
George helps with gardening (when he’s not knocking Sarah’s flower pots off of high shelves). Sarah FechtCrete, Greece. Sarah FechtMorocco. Sarah FechtRobert Treman state park in Ithaca, New York. Ithaca, as they say, is gorges. Thomas PayneThere’s nothing like camping to get you close to nature… Thomas Payne…though a sunset can’t really be beat, either. Thomas PayneSoda Dam is visible right next to Highway 4 in New Mexico. It’s made of calcium deposits, and is still growing to this day. Kelsey D. AthertonAn Albuquerque sunset, under the moon. Kelsey D. AthertonAnother stunning Albuquerque sunset with the Sandia Mountains visible. Kelsey D. AthertonOne friendly squirrel (who really wanted my trail mix) in Crested Butte, Colorado. Claire MaldarelliEl Adbo del Tule in Oaxaca, Mexico. Claire MaldarelliView from the Pacific Coast Highway. Peter SucheskiAnother shot from PCH. Peter Sucheski
Fonts Point Anza Borrego Desert Cassidy MayedaBarrel Cactus Cassidy MayedaMount Hood, Oregon Corinne IozzioIceland’s Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon is a place where you can fall in love with ice over and over again. Kendra Pierre-LouisStingray in the Cayman Island’s Kendra Pierre-LouisGreen iguana, Grand Cayman Kendra Pierre-LouisA pond in Connecticut. Mallory Johns
Flower in Brazil Rob VergerMy family vacations in this part of New Hampshire every year. Sara ChodoshYosemite Sara ChodoshRattlesnake Mountain Sara ChodoshCuilcagh Mountain trail in Northern Ireland Sophie BushwickDifferent view of the Cuilcagh Mountain Trail Sophie Bushwick
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