War in South Ossetia

War in South Ossetia: "

On Thursday, August 7th, Georgian armed forces entered into the breakaway region of South Ossetia to assert Georgian governance of the region - a de facto (yet largely unrecognized) independent republic that has support from neighboring Russia. Russia responded on August 8th by sending its own military into Georgia - not only into region of South Ossetia - but also into the nearby breakaway republic of Abkhazia and deeper into Georgia itself. Many Airstrikes and ground skirmishes have taken place since, with several parties calling for a cease-fire, but no agreement as yet. Those paying the highest price for the war are the South Ossetian civilians, which may have suffered (depending on who is reporting) between 100 and 2,000 deaths to date. (29 photos total)

A convoy of Russian troops makes its way through the Caucasus Mountains toward the armed conflict between Georgian troops and separatist South Ossetian troops, in the South Ossetian village of Dzhaba on August 9, 2008. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili declared a 'state of war' as his troops battled it out with Russian forces over the breakaway province of South Ossetia. (Dmitry Kostyukov/AFP)

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Uncontacted Tribe Photographed in Brazil

Uncontacted Tribe Photographed in Brazil: "

Members of an unknown Amazon Basin tribe and their dwellings are seen during a flight over the Brazilian state of Acre along the border with Peru in these May, 2008 photos distributed by Survival International. Survival International estimates that there are over 100 uncontacted tribes worldwide, and says that uncontacted tribes in the region are under increasing threat from illegal logging over the border in Peru. (7 photos total)

REUTERS/Gleison Miranda-FUNAI/Handout

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Chaiten Volcano Still Active

Chaiten Volcano Still Active: "

Chaiten Volcano in Chile continues to erupt, after its recent eruption on May 6th, - its first activity in over 9,000 years. (12 photos total)

A plume of ashes spewed by the Chaiten volcano as seen from the city of Chaiten, 1,200km south from Santiago, Chile on May 5, 2008. (ALVARO VIDAL/AFP/Getty Images)

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After the Quake

After the Quake: "

After nearly 70,000 confirmed deaths and five million people left homeless (as of May 29th), the Sichuan Earthquake of 2008 continues to cause hardship across the region. More than 30 'quake Lakes', formed by landslides have flooded many areas, relief and supplies are still needed and the cleanup continues. (13 photos total)

A couple reacts immediately after an earthquake struck during their wedding photo shoot at a deserted catholic seminary in Pengzhou in southwest China's Sichuan province Monday May 12, 2008. Five couples were having wedding photos taken when the earthquake struck, and all escaped without injury. The century-old seminary was destroyed in the quake, which left tens of thousands dead in Sichuan. (AP Photo)

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The Sun

The Sun: "

The Sun is now in the quietest phase of its 11-year activity cycle, the solar minimum - in fact, it has been unusually quiet this year - with over 200 days so far with no observed sunspots. The solar wind has also dropped to its lowest levels in 50 years. Scientists are unsure of the significance of this unusual calm, but are continually monitoring our closest star with an array of telescopes and satellites. Seen below are some recent images of the Sun in more active times. (21 photos total)

A sweeping prominence, a huge cloud of relatively cool dense plasma is seen suspended in the Sun's hot, thin corona. At times, promineces can erupt, escaping the Sun's atmosphere. Emission in this spectral line shows the upper chromosphere at a temperature of about 60,000 degrees K (over 100,000 degrees F). Every feature in the image traces magnetic field structure. The hottest areas appear almost white, while the darker red areas indicate cooler temperatures. (Courtesy of SOHO/EIT consortium)

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Documenting the return of U.S. war dead

Documenting the return of U.S. war dead: "

In 1991, President George H. W. Bush implemented a ban on media coverage of returning war dead and their dignified transfer process at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. Shortly after he assumed office, President Barack Obama asked Defense Secretary Robert Gates to review this policy, and Gates later reversed it, giving family members of the fallen the right to allow or disallow media coverage. On April 5th, 2009, the repatriation of the remains of Air Force Staff Sgt. Phillip Meyers became the first such event to be covered by the press in 18 years. This process has taken place, undocumented, over 5,000 times since the beginning of the war in Afghanistan in 2001. Collected here are photographs documenting the transfers of nine soldiers that have taken place since April 5th, 2009. (25 photos total)

Members of the US Army's Old Guard carry team lift the remains of US Army Specialist Israel Candelaria Mejias from San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico, as his body is returned on a C-17 to the US from Iraq April 7, 2009 at Dover Air Force Base, in Delaware. Specialist Candelaria Mejias, 28 yrs old, was killed April 5, 2009 near Baghdad as he attempted to disarm an IED. (PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images)

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Earth Day 2009

Earth Day 2009: "

Today is Earth Day, a day set aside for awarenesss and appreciation of the Earth's environment, and our roles within it - this year marking the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. As a way to help appreciate and observe our environment, I've collected 40 images below, each a glimpse into some aspect of the world around us, how it affects and sustains us, and how we affect it. Happy Earth Day everyone. (40 photos total)

This view of Earth, featuring North, Central and South America was taken by the NASA probe called Messenger, while conducting a fly-by of our planet in order to pick up a gravity-assist boost on its way toward Mercury. (NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington)

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Remembering Apollo 11

Remembering Apollo 11: "

40 years ago, three human beings - with the help of many thousands of others - left our planet on a successful journey to our Moon, setting foot on another world for the first time. Tomorrow marks the 40th anniversary of the July 16, 1969 launch of Apollo 11, with astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin E. 'Buzz' Aldrin Jr. aboard. The entire trip lasted only 8 days, the time spent on the surface was less than one day, the entire time spent walking on the moon, a mere 2 1/2 hours - but they were surely historic hours. Scientific experiments were deployed (at least one still in use today), samples were collected, and photographs were taken to document the entire journey. Collected here are 40 images from that journey four decades ago, when, in the words of astronaut Buzz Aldrin: 'In this one moment, the world came together in peace for all mankind'. (40 photos total)

The view from the Apollo 11 Command and Service Module (CSM) 'Columbia' shows the Earth rising above the Moon's horizon on July 20th, 1969. The lunar terrain pictured is in the area of Smyth's Sea on the nearside. (NASA)

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Greenland

Greenland: "

After almost 300 years under Danish rule, the island of Greenland has just taken a big step toward sovereignty. Greenland passed a referendum last year requesting more powers from Copenhagen, and it was granted, taking effect on June 21st, 2009. Denmark still retains control of finances, foreign affairs, and defense, but will phase out an annual subsidy, and give over control of most of the islands natural resources. Additionally, Greenlandic is now the sole official language, and Greenlanders are now treated as a separate people under international law. Although the island is massive - with an area of over 2 million square kilometers (825,000 sq mi), its population is small, with just over 57,000 residents, 88% of Inuit descent and and 12% of European descent. Collected here are some recent photographs from all around Greenland. (34 photos total)

Scientists Jason Box of Ohio State University's Byrd Polar Research Center and polar expedition expert Eric Philips, both members of the Greenpeace Arctic Impacts tour, assisted by experts in ice logistics, set up one of a series of time-lapse cameras surveying the 16km wide Petermann Glacier, in northwest Greenland on July 29, 2009. The Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise has arrived in the area, to carry out several weeks scientific research into the impacts of climate change, and to bear witness to the glacier's disintegration. (NICK COBBING/AFP/Getty Images)

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Olympic Torch Relay heads to Vancouver

Olympic Torch Relay heads to Vancouver: "

After departing Athens, Greece on October 30th, the Olympic Flame has been traveling across Canada, now about 1/3 of the way into its 106-day, 26,000 km overland relay (another 18,000 km by air). Over 12,000 torch-bearers will carry the flame along a winding path covering all of Canada, passing through over 1,000 communities total - from Toronto, Winnipeg and Calgary to smaller communities such as Gwa'Sala-Nakwaxda'xw, Notre-Dame-du-Lac, Moose Jaw and Sheshatshiu. The final destination: Vancouver's BC Place on February 12, 2010, where it will light the Olympic Cauldron and signal the start of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Expect a follow-up post early next year, covering the rest of the journey. (33 photos total) [Editor's note, Big Picture will be on break until 12/14/09]

Torchbearer Ruth Sadler carries the Olympic Torch into the Pacific Ocean to meet a surfer along the shores of Pacific Rim National Park just outside Tofino, British Columbia November 1, 2009. The torch was carried out to far west coast of Canada on the third day of its 106-day journey leading to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. (REUTERS/Andy Clark)

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World Water Day

World Water Day: "

Today, March 22nd, is recognized by the United Nations Water Group as 'World Water Day', this year's theme being 'Clean Water
for a Healthy World'. Although we live on a water-covered planet, only 1% of the world's water is available for human use, the rest locked away in oceans, ice, and the atmosphere. The National Geographic Society feels so strongly about the issues around fresh water that they are distributing an interactive version of their April, 2010 magazine for download - free until April 2nd - and will be exhibiting images from the series at the Annenberg Space for photography. National Geographic was also kind enough to share 15 of their images below, in a collection with other photos from news agencies and NASA - all of water, here at home - Earth. (43 photos total)

The Maya believed natural wells, such as the Xkeken cenote in Mexico's Yucatan, led to the underworld. (John Stanmeyer, VII, © National Geographic)

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European flooding

European flooding: "

Over the past month, heavy rainfall from different storms across parts of Europe has caused massive amounts of flooding - some water moving slowly across river plains and farmland, some moving swiftly through cities and villages. Dozens have lost their lives, many thousands evacuated their homes, some repeatedly - Poland in particular is suffering its worst flooding in decades. More recently, parts of Spain and France have experienced flash floods that have carried away people and vehicles. Collected here are some images of the flooding in Europe from the past several weeks. (42 photos total)

Local inhabitants are evacuated from a flooded village of Sokolniki in Southern Poland, May 20, 2010. Flash floods caused by days of heavy rainfall hit parts of central Europe, disrupting power supplies and forcing thousands of people from their homes. Southern Poland, parts of the Czech Republic and Slovakia and northern Hungary were among the worst affected regions. (REUTERS/Krzysztof Koch/Agencja Gazeta)

Czech Republic - Flood - Slovakia - Poland - France"