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Pair of 'holy' islands in eerily green African lake hold centuries-old relics and mummified emperorsEarth from space A 2017 astronaut photo shows the islands of Dek and Daga lurking in the murky, algae-infested waters of Ethiopia's Lake Tana. Both islands are home to important monasteries, including the resting place of five mummified emperors.
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Shapeshifting 'braided river' in Tibet is the highest in the world, and is becoming increasingly unstableEarth from space A 2025 satellite photo shows a particularly complex section of the Yarlung Zangbo River as it twists its way through the Tibetan Plateau. This part of the "braided" waterway has experienced drastic visual changes over recent decades, which could soon be accentuated by climate change.
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The whale-shaped island in Belize with a 'great blue blowhole'Earth from space This 2020 astronaut photo shows the unusual cetacean-like shape of Belize's Lighthouse Reef. It's home to the famous Great Blue Hole, which doubles as the island's "blowhole" when viewed from space.
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Sea of Saharan 'star dunes' clashes with otherworldly terrain where 2 countries meetEarth from space A 2017 satellite photo shows the stark contrast along the boundary between a giant field of golden "star dunes" and a barren rocky wilderness in the Sahara, which overlaps with an international border.
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Extreme 'golf ball-size' hailstones carve 125-mile 'scar' in Canadian landscapeEarth from space This 2025 satellite photo shows the aftermath of a devastating hailstorm in Alberta, Canada, which destroyed property, collapsed pylons and killed at least two animals.
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Volcanic 'googly eyes' stare into space from skull-like peninsulaEarth from space A 2014 astronaut photo shows a pair of volcanic lakes appearing to stare up into space from the Chiltepe Peninsula of Nicaragua's Lake Managua. These "eyes" and "skull" were created by violent eruptions thousands of years ago.
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Giant 'chessboard' surrounds Idaho river in bizarre astronaut photoEarth from space A 2017 astronaut photo shows an unusual checkered pattern surrounding a river, just south of the Canadian border. The unique sight is the result of a forest management initiative dating to the 1800s.
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Giant sandy 'slug' crawls through floodplains in Kazakhstan, but it could soon be frozen in placeEarth from space A 2022 astronaut photo shows a peculiar, slug-shaped dune field in the heart of the Kazakh Steppe. Signs of vegetation among the sand suggest these dunes are in the process of being fixed in place.
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Rare milky plumes paint stunning swirls in world's largest 'soda lake'Earth from space A 2016 astronaut photo shows surprising plumes of milky material swirling in the waters of Turkey's Lake Van, the largest alkaline lake on Earth.
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