• Tagged amusement parks, roller coaster, roller coaster thrill rides

What do you like best about roller coasters? Are your favorites the tallest, fastest, longest, steepest or most loops? Is it wooden or steel, based on various track layouts, train types or the mechanics that run it? Or is it all about the thrill? Roller coasters are ranked by height, speed, length and inversions in the Roller Coaster Database, and there are other rankings for steepness, as well as thrill seekers voting for their favorite adrenaline rush roller coaster. Although amusement parks compete to build the tallest, fastest, and longest rides, those records rarely last long before another park beats that record. Here are the Inverted, Wing Coaster, Flying, Suspended, Stand Up, Sit Down and 4th Dimension roller coaster world record holders for 2015. Buckle up and take a virtual ride on the highest ranked roller coasters in the world. [71 Photos & 23 POV Videos]

• Tagged Aurora, Aurora Borealis, Northern lights

Since we last covered Amazing Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis in 2011, many photographers have braved extremely cold temperatures to capture swirling Northern Lights dancing across the heavens. Here are some of those exceptionally beautiful auroras that you can enjoy from the warmth of your chair instead of the snowy wilds. [50 Photos, 3 Videos]

• Tagged Decade Volcanoes, Italy, Mount Etna, volcano

Mount Etna, one of the 17 Decade Volcanoes and Europe’s tallest active volcano, has been putting on a great show. Adrenaline-seeking tourists have been getting up-close and personal for the rumbling and lava spewing spectacle in Italy. Even the astronauts aboard the ISS have taken note and grabbed some stunning shots. Here’s Mount Etna…[42 Photos]

• Tagged cityscapes, miniatures, tilt shift

One of the reasons photographers use tilt-shift is to make life-size locations look like photos of miniature scale models. Tilt-shift photography is not only used for miniature faking, but these miniatures reminded us of the song “He’s got the whole world in his hands.” So let’s do some virtual globe hopping to view amazing miniature worlds in which city-scapes appear like toy cities. [60 Photos]

• Tagged blowholes, geology, nature, New Zealand, Pancake Rocks, Paparoa National Park, rock formations

On the edge of the New Zealand’s Paparoa National Park, you can walk among bizarre rock formations, many that resemble stacks of pancakes. The Tasman Sea surges into undercut cavities, booms, and then seawater geysers shoot through blowholes, making the spectacular natural attraction of blowholes in Pancake Rocks a “must see” at high tide and/or storms. [45 Photos]

• Tagged alligators, Everglades National Park, Florida endangered wildlife, National Park, wildlife, World Heritage Sites in Danger

1.5 million acres in southern Florida, dubbed Everglades National Park in 1947, were inscribed by UNESCO in 1979, and then inscribed to UNESCO’s List of World Heritage Sites in Danger in 2010. The national park protects only the southern 20% of the original Everglades, yet it is the third largest national park in the lower 48 states after Death Valley and Yellowstone. Everglades National Park is also an international treasure as one of only three locations on the globe to appear on the three big lists: World Heritage Site, International Biosphere Reserve, and Wetland of International Importance. The diversity here of wildlife, nine Everglades ecosystems and changing habitats might blow your mind. The national park protects 800 species of land and water vertebrates, over 400 bird species, more than 275 species of fish and over 20 species of snakes. Here is a look at the wild beauty of America’s Everglades. [34 Photos]

• Tagged bizarre, Brazil, desert, Lençois Maranhenses, National Park, sand

In Brazil, there is an very unusual national park in the desert. While you might expect to see rolling white sand dunes, you would not expect to see the area dotted with lagoons created by rainwater. Here’s a look at those dunes and lagoons in Lençóis Maranhenses National Park. [29 Photos]

• Tagged clouds, lenticular clouds, meteorological phenomena, phenomenon, UFO clouds, weather

Some folks think lenticular clouds look like a stack of pancakes, but most people think they look like “saucer clouds.” These clouds are more dense, colder, than the surrounding air, so if the ambient weather doesn’t change then it just appears to hover without moving. It’s been said that these “lennies” are a possible explanation for some reported Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) sightings. If conditions are “just right,” lenticular clouds can form about anywhere. Yet this meteorological phenomenon most often appears over mountain peaks and extinct volcanoes. Even that has been dubbed “rare.” If you live in the “flat” lands, then it’s possible you’ve never witnessed an incredible UFO cloud. Photographers love to capture them, so thanks to their hard work, here are 42 fabulous photos of lovely lenticular clouds. [42 Photos]

• Tagged nature, plantations, tea plantation, travel and places

If you drink tea, it’s probably not grown in America. If you live in the USA, then it’s a pretty safe bet that you don’t have a terrific view of a tea plantation. In fact, you probably have no view of a tea plantation — or “estate” — and that’s a pity cause it’s pretty. Grab yourself some tea, if you are so inclined, while you view these terrific tea plantations mixed with tea quotes and fact tidbits. [35 Photos]

• Tagged abandoned, abandoned asylum, abandoned DC, abandoned Forest Haven asylum, abandoned schools, Forest Haven, urban exploration, urban explorers, urbex

Once upon a time, the story of Forest Haven was happy and hopeful because the state-of-the-art D.C. Training School would help developmentally and mentally handicapped children and adults learn skills to help them survive in the real world instead of being institutionalized. That was 1925; the Forest Haven facilities grew to a compound with over 22 buildings spread over 250 acres. By 1991, the story of Forest Haven was a heartbreaking horror story as hundreds of residents died of abuse and neglect before the U.S. Justice Department forced the District of Columbia institution closed. “What we have here are quiet little murders,” explained a Justice Department expert witness in a 1994 article. “They’re killed one day at a time because people don’t pay attention and then no one finds out the real cause of death.” Before everything was said and done, Forest Haven ended up being one of the worst cases of criminal institutional abuse that the U.S. has ever seen. Oh the sickeningly sad stories the walls would tell you if only they could. Now, over 20 years later, this is the abandoned Forest Haven asylum. [44 Photos]

• Tagged adventure, cave diving, cavers, caves, caving, ice caves, nature, sea caves

Amazing caves are located all over the globe, different types in a wide variety of sizes are waiting to be explored. Some folks call it caving, spelunking, or even potholing, but it’s all an adventure…at least until something goes wrong and then cavers are called in to rescue spelunkers. It’s been said that “the cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” While in the mood to go caving, we cruised 500px for creative captures of caves with creative common licenses. Here are the cave photo treasures we found. [35 Photos]

• Tagged outdoor scenes, people, photo contest, photographers, photography, places, travel, Wikimedia Commons Picture of the Year

A decade ago, there were not tons of terrific photos to choose from in the Commons, but photographers have really stepped up by licensing their photos so people can share them along with knowledge. While you may or may not agree with the 12 Wikimedia Commons Picture of the Year winners, most everyone could agree the competition was smoking hot. Categories like animals, plants, people, panoramas, nature, space, architecture and even miscellaneous objects give us a chance to go globe hopping as we celebrate these 45 sizzling snaps. Congratulations winners and thank you to all photographers who make the Commons a fountain of beautiful knowledge! Why don’t you consider uploading your photos to the Commons and maybe we’ll see you listed as a winner next year? [45 Photos]