Gol Gumbaz: The Giant Dome of Bijapur

Gol Gumbaz, in Vijayapura (formerly Bijapur) in northern Karnataka, is the mausoleum of Sultan Muhammad Adil Shah II, the seventh ruler of the Adil Shahi dynasty. He ruled from 1627 until 1656, and his tomb became one of the most ambitious architectural projects of his reign. The name combines the Dakhni words 'gol' (meaning round) and 'gumbaz' (meaning dome). 

Gol Gumbaz, the 17th-century mausoleum of Sultan Muhammad Adil Shah, is renowned for its enormous dome and remarkable architecture.

Jabuticaba: The Brazilian Grape Tree

The jabuticaba is a Brazilian fruit tree that looks like a prank. In season, its dark purple fruits cover the trunk and the thick lower branches so tightly that the bark almost disappears. The tree is usually listed under the botanical name Myrciaria cauliflora, but current plant references treat that as a synonym and accept Plinia cauliflora instead, a point that confuses a lot of search results. Whichever name you use, the species is known in English as the Brazilian grape tree. This article explains what jabuticaba is, why its fruit grows on the trunk, what it tastes like, how people use it, and what to expect if you want to grow one.

Jabuticaba fruits grow directly on the trunk and older branches of the Brazilian grape tree, a distinctive feature of this South American fruit species.

Al Wahbah Crater: Saudi Arabia’s Giant Volcanic Crater

At first glance, Al Wahbah Crater looks almost unreal. A vast, pale basin lies inside dark volcanic terrain in western Saudi Arabia, roughly 2.3 kilometres across and about 250 metres deep. Its floor is covered in bright mineral deposits that contrast sharply with the dark lava fields around it. From the rim, the pale basin can look almost like a patch of snow in the desert, which helps explain why photographs of the crater travel so widely. The place is also a notable example of a landscape being misread. For years, its shape encouraged comparisons with meteorite impact craters. Geological evidence points to a different origin. This article covers where Al Wahbah Crater is, how it formed, what is known about its white floor, and what to consider before visiting.

Al Wahbah Crater lies in the Harrat Kishb volcanic field of western Saudi Arabia. Its enormous depression was formed by an explosive interaction between magma and groundwater.

Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens: Isaiah Zagar’s Mosaic Masterpiece

At first glance, Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens look like a wall that got out of control, with every surface covered in mirrors, colourful tiles, glass and bicycle wheels. In reality, it is a carefully constructed mosaic environment on South Street, created by artist Isaiah Zagar over many years. Following Zagar’s death in February 2026, the site stands as a lasting reminder of his imagination and the artistic community he helped shape in Philadelphia.

The front of Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens at 1020 South Street in Philadelphia, covered in the distinctive mosaic art of Isaiah Zagar.

K’gari’s Travelling Sand Dunes: How Sand Engulfs Forests

K’gari looks almost impossible: an island made largely of sand, yet covered in towering rainforest and dotted with freshwater lakes. Off Queensland’s coast in Australia, this remarkable landscape is constantly changing. Winds push loose sand inland, creating enormous dunes that can bury vegetation and even cross waterways.

Wind-driven sand reshapes K’gari’s landscape, where shifting dunes meet forest and vegetation.

Stone Spheres of Costa Rica: The Diquís Mystery

In southern Costa Rica, some of the most remarkable archaeological objects are also among the hardest to explain. Large stone spheres lie scattered across the landscape, their surfaces shaped by people who lived centuries before the arrival of Europeans. Some were moved from their original positions, while others survived in the places where archaeologists can still study them.

Pre-Columbian stone spheres from Costa Rica’s Diquís region displayed at the National Museum in San José. These remarkable stone objects are an important symbol of the country’s cultural heritage.

Seattle Underground: The Buried Streets Beneath Pioneer Square

Most visitors to Seattle head straight for the Space Needle and Pike Place Market. Many people do not realise that a few feet below Pioneer Square, the shopfronts and sidewalks of an older Seattle still sit in the dark. The Seattle Underground tour is the simplest way to see them, and it is one of the stranger, funnier history lessons in the Pacific Northwest. Here is how the buried city came about, which tour suits you, and what to know before you book.

Seattle Underground: Historic Passageways Beneath Pioneer Square

Pisonia Tree: The Birdcatcher Tree and Its Sticky Seeds

A seabird brushes past a branch and flies off with a few seeds stuck to its feathers. For most plants, that’s a positive outcome. For the Pisonia tree, it can turn into a disaster for the bird.

Sticky fruits from the Pisonia tree cling to a noddy seabird’s feathers, illustrating how the tree disperses its seeds and how excessive entanglement can interfere with a bird’s flight.

Hanging Lake: Colorado’s Turquoise Lake in Glenwood Canyon

Hanging Lake is one of the most unusual sights in Glenwood Canyon, Colorado. The small lake is known for its clear turquoise water, pale mineral formations, and waterfalls that flow over moss-covered rocks. Set on a steep mountainside near Glenwood Springs, it looks quite different from an ordinary mountain lake.

Hanging Lake sits high above Glenwood Canyon in Colorado and is known for its clear water, mineral formations, and surrounding waterfalls.

Montmartre Cemetery: Paris’s Historic Cemetery Beneath a Bridge

In Paris, a busy metal bridge passes above a cemetery filled with old tombs, leafy paths and monuments to some of France’s best-known artists and writers. This unusual place is Montmartre Cemetery, also called Cimetière de Montmartre or the Cemetery of the North. Opened in 1825, it occupies the site of former gypsum quarries in the city’s 18th arrondissement.

The Caulaincourt Bridge passes directly over Montmartre Cemetery, creating an unusual contrast between the busy city streets and the historic burial ground below.