Habitats -- Threats to Desert Pictures, Wallpapers, Downloads -- National Geographic

Lake Powell, Utah
Photograph by Peter Essick
The cracked bed of Utah's drought-plagued Lake Powell bakes under the desert sun. The rate of evaporation in deserts can be 20 times higher than the rate of precipitation.
Antarctic Ice Sheet
Photograph courtesy Ben Holt, Sr./NASA
An enormous iceberg nestles into an ice shelf in Antarctica. Disintegrating ice shelves in Antarctica have caused alarm among scientists who warn that ice loss here could mean a disastrous rise in sea levels worldwide.
Alaskan Glaciers
Photograph by Peter Essick
Pools of water fill crevices in Alaska's Columbia Glacier. This ice field has been melting rapidly over the past 20 years, sending millions of gallons of water and miles of ice into Prince William Sound every year.
Jeep in African Desert
Photograph by George Steinmetz
With temperatures reaching 136˚ F (58˚ C) in the shade, an African desert is a bad place to get stranded. So along with plenty of water and a spare tire, travelers may also want to bring a spare ATV.

Environment Video

Watch: Spectacular Dam "Removal"

Watch: Spectacular Dam "Removal"
Volcanoes 101

Watch: Volcanoes 101
Garden Pests

Gardening organically means gardening without the use of pesticides, so how do you deal with all those pests?

Light Bulb Savings Calculator

How much can you save yourself, and the world, by switching to more efficient bulbs?
Can Bubble Curtains Help Whales?

Oil and wind power companies are testing a novel technology—air bubbles—to shield marine mammals from the sound of offshore operations.
Photos: Animals in Keystone XL's Path

The U.S. government's rejection of the Keystone XL project is a reprieve for the many species that reside along the proposed route.

Visualizing Our Global Water Footprint

You might be surprised to see how the daily choices you make affect critical watersheds around the world.
Why Care About Water?

National Geographic's freshwater initiative is a global effort to inspire communities to conserve water and restore rivers.

Photos: In the Field

Browse breathtaking images of life on the Serengeti.
A Thing or Two About Twins

Can the unique bond between identical twins be explained?
Visions of Earth

Browse stunning images of our planet as seen through a photographer's eye.