Our world is a pretty special place, full of breathtaking sights, awesome people, vibrant plants, and majestic wildlife. However, we tend to take it for granted, forgetting how incredible it is. It may be because we get easily wrapped up in our daily lives or focus on the gloomy side of things way too often.
Nevertheless, Bored Panda is here to remind us all just how wonderful Earth is, with a list of photos that capture the most beautiful moments of life on this planet. Scroll down to find them, and make sure to upvote the ones that seem too good to be true (but totally aren’t!).
While you’re at it, don’t forget to check out a conversation with sustainability author and consultant John Pabon, who kindly agreed to share his recommendations on what we can do to preserve our incredible planet.
#1 A Picture My Mom Took From Her Window
Image credits: airstar_424
#2 I Tried To Take A Picture Of My GF At Lake Moraine, Canada, When Suddenly This Little Guy Joined In
Image credits: kaikajo
#3 Namibian Dunes
Image credits: marcograssiphoto
For Pabon, the most incredible thing about our world is its resilience.
“Flowers will grow through concrete. Animals can adapt to extreme environments. Even with all the shifts happening because of climate change, the planet is still finding ways to right itself (even if humans aren't).”
#4 Took This Picture Of The "Brockenbahn" Back In 2016. Still A Little Bit Proud Of It!
Image credits: Tasty-Effect-1354
#5 I Took This Picture Walking To School A Couple Weeks Ago
Image credits: winnderrz
#6 Dogs Posing In Chiba, Japan
Image credits: unfonfortable
Indeed, while Earth has undergone many big changes like ice ages, global volcanism, severe droughts, and solar radiation, it has found a way to keep its life forms alive every time.
A 2022 study by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology confirmed that our planet is able to do that due to a “stabilizing feedback” mechanism, which over hundreds of thousands of years keeps global temperatures within a livable range.
#7 I Took This Picture In Namibia, And Now I Think It Should Be Their Flag
Image credits: uspn
#8 A Cave With A View Towards A Beautiful Valley In The French Alps
Image credits: philipslotte
#9 I Took This Photo Today. Stoked
Image credits: blaaaaake
Scientists believe that the mechanism involved is “silicate weathering," a geological process in which silicate rocks are worn down by weather conditions that help silicate draw carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and trap the gas inside the mineral. Silicate makes up around 95% of Earth’s crust and upper mantle and is mainly made out of silicon and oxygen. The big quantity and airy texture make silicate rocks a perfect candidate for absorbing carbon dioxide and keeping temperatures in check.
#10 Incredible Northern Lights Over The Mountains Of Norway
Image credits: jack3d--
#11 Came Across This Mountainside River - Was Driving A Scenic Route In Colorado And Heard The Rushing Waters. It Was Incredible!
Image credits: FrubbleNut
#12 I Love The Rainy And Grey Days Because If Often Means There Will Be Beautiful Fog In Our Forests. Took This On Tuesday!
Image credits: TritonTheDark
Such findings are good, on one hand, because it means that global warming that is happening right now might be cancelled by this “stabilizing feedback.” However, on the other hand, this process can take thousands of hundreds of years to happen - not fast enough to solve our current climate change issue.
#13 I’m Kinda Really Proud Of This Pic I Took Of My Dog And Our Property After 250+mls Of Rain In A Four Day Period. No Filters Or Anything Over It. Just Taken With My iPhone
Image credits: AmayaKurama
#14 I Was Lucky Enough To Witness This Incredible Sunrise At Crater Lake National Park (Or) Last Weekend
Image credits: steveschwindt
#15 Helmcken Falls, British Columbia, Canada
Image credits: ChuInFvmxus
Therefore, Pabon suggests that the issue that we should focus on right now is getting the money to finance all the infrastructure adaptations needed to reverse climate change. “This is especially important for people in the developing world who are experiencing the worst impacts of climate change already. We need more funding, particularly from developed countries, to help,” he stresses.
#16 After Many Failed Attempts I Finally Managed To Capture A Train At Morant’s Curve, Alberta, Canada
Image credits: howsyourgoldfish
#17 Pic I Took Of A Goat Majestically Looking Over The Swiss Alps
Image credits: jjanny
#18 One Of The Oldest Trees In The World At The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest
Image credits: cookdog1117
Meanwhile, we all can do our little part to help this planet too. “My recommendation is always to find what you're passionate about and pursue that. Whether it's environmentalism, ecology, helping animals, or working with businesses, find something you love to do or have a special skill in and get started. There's no time to waste!” says Pabon.
#19 Was Walking Around In San Francisco’s Chinatown & Snapped This Surreal Picture
Image credits: lancelotworks
#20 Beautiful Flower Carpet, Shikisai No Oka In Biei, Hokkaido
Image credits: kyoko1903
#21 A Photo I Took From My Recent Trip To Japan
Image credits: NoBaecon
If you’re unsure on where to start, the UN suggests a few seemingly simple actions that can reduce our impact on the environment. To lessen our carbon footprint, try walking, biking or taking public transportation instead of using a car. Saving energy at home like having energy-efficient appliances, switching to LED bulbs, washing clothes with cold water or using renewable energy provider can also produce less greenhouse gases.
#22 Pretty Proud Of This Picture I Took During My Visit To The Grand Canyon!
Image credits: TheMindfulcker
#23 Switzerland Is Truly The Disneyland Of Hiking
Image credits: thrillhousevanhouten
#24 On My Way Back From Iceland ??i Flew Over Greenland To See Some Incredible Ice Flow. It Was Clear The Entire Time
Image credits: Coolingritu
Other simple ways to help our planet include eating more vegetables, throwing away less food, cleaning up the environment and planting native species. Additionally, try to reduce, reuse, repair and recycle as much as possible and don’t forget to share this information with others!
#25 I Am One Of The Few Hundred Kayak Guide In India. I Have Kayaked More That 2,500 Km And Captured More Than 30,000 Photos. Here Is The Photo That I Think Is Best Of All
Image credits: veryeasyname
#26 My Favorite Drone Shot So Far | Iceland
Image credits: Wimair
#27 I Found These Incredible Copper Lines In The Volcanic Rock On The Coastline Of Acadia National Park, Maine
Image credits: ilikefishwaytoomuch
#28 The Largest Tree In The World Shortly After A Snowstorm
Image credits: alexd753
#29 Glacier National Park Is The Most Beautiful Place I’ve Ever Been- We Saw 4 Grizzly Bears And A Moose On This Hike!
Image credits: skilledkettle
#30 My Aunt Took This Picture Of A Tornado At My Grandparents Farm That Touched Down Yesterday. South Dakota
Image credits: ManicFirestorm
#31 I Can’t Believe I Took This Picture With My Phone! Completely Unedited
Image credits: napsforlife
#32 I Was Walking Near A Local Lake Today And Captured This
Image credits: ThePOV_TV
#33 2 Years Later, This Is Still One Of The Most Incredible Evenings Of My Life | Yosemite National Park, Ca, USA
Image credits: CameronKelsey
#34 I Took Eleven Photos Of My City's Skyline From Sunset To Night And Merged Them
Image credits: _rchr
#35 Caught This Incredible Exploding Meteor When I Went To Rattlesnake Lake In Washington, USA Last Weekend. Zoom In To See The Exact Moment It Explodes In Two
Image credits: chaibhu
#36 Somewhere Between The Middle Of The World, And The End Of It. The Ak Sai Valley Of Southern Kyrgyzstan
Image credits: Pflunt
#37 Hyams Beach, Australia. Claimed To Be Home To The Whitest Sand In The World
Image credits: MitchGreenPhotos
#38 1,102 68 One Of My Favorite Lighthouses In Maine - I Had To Fly My Drone 7000ft Out Into The Ocean In Order To Capture This Photo
Image credits: cturner37
#39 This Cloud Formation
Image credits: reddit.com
#40 Glacial River Patterns Of Iceland
Image credits: thomyorkeftw
#41 The World Is A Magnificent Place. Maui Hawaii
Image credits: lifeofmikey1
#42 Photo I Took On A Flight To Florida Forgot Where We Were Over Though
Image credits: Unusual-Capital350
#43 A Big Thank You To The Guy Who Offered To Take My Picture Just As The Volcano Started Erupting!
Image credits: Zombsta12
#44 Incredible Iceberg In Antarctica Spotted A Few Days Ago
Image credits: ChickenMcVincent
#45 I See You. Took This Photo In The Island Of S. Miguel, Azores, Portugal. I Was Lucky Enough To Have The Fog Clearing Up Just As I Took The Drone Out
Image credits: Mikezpo
#46 Photo I Took On Holiday In Wales, Pwllheli
Image credits: Blobdude678
#47 Took An iPhone Pic During A Rainy Night In San Francisco
Image credits: caliform
#48 Took Me 7 Years In Ohio To Realize Wht I Missed In The 33 Years I Was In West Virginia. I Miss Home
Image credits: T-Bone_FPV
#49 Bláfjallafoss River Crossing, Iceland
Image credits: ralphsquirrel
#50 The Throat Of The World | Oc | Mount Hood Oregon
Image credits: michaelfoosh
