Sara Rios

A slow camera exposure blurs the crowds inside the Lincoln Memorial, which celebrated its centennial on May 30, 2022. Carved from 38,000 tons of marble, limestone, and granite, the edifice honoring the 16th president holds a massive statue of Abraham Lincoln by sculptor Daniel Chester French.

In the Peruvian Andes, the ruins of the ancient Inca city of Choquequirao, a cousin to the more visited Machu Picchu, can only be reached by foot or mule. However, a proposed cable car could make the site more accessible to travelers.

Flowers are still in full bloom despite the drought and fall season. This picture, taken in southeast Houston, captures the natural beauty of the area just outside the city.

West Texas sunset, Marfa

As I left Forestburg one evening and passed through Montague going south, the sun was setting behind a ranch museum, and I quickly snapped two shots with my wife's digital camera before the light changed. A Texas-ranch-country shot.

A Temminck’s ground pangolin named Tamuda searches for a meal of ants or termites at a rehabilitation center in Zimbabwe. He was rescued from illegal wildlife traders, who likely would have smuggled his scales to Asia for use in traditional remedies.

All clear? A rat peeks out from a stormwater catch basin.

Leonardo’s “Mona Lisa” is believed to depict Lisa Gherardini, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo, a Florentine silk merchant. Every year, millions of visitors jostle for a view at the Louvre Museum in Paris. The painting, protected by a thick layer of glass that must be cleaned regularly, has never been restored.

In Palau's biodiverse waters, scientists find life is thriving under the seas. Here, a tiny goby camouflages with a branch of red coral.

Grand Canyon National Park

Assateague Island National Seashore

Shenandoah National Park