Houses near Taal Volcano's crater are seen buried in volcanic ash from the volcano's eruption on January 14, 2020 in Taal Volcano Island, Batangas province, Philippines. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised the alert level to four out of five, warning that a hazardous eruption could take place anytime, as authorities have evacuated tens of thousands of people from the area. An estimated $10 million worth of crops and livestock have been damaged by the on-going eruption, according to the country's agriculture department. (Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)

Models dressed as showgirls participates in a fashion show in front of the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign on the Las Vegas Strip to kick off the pro-mask wearing campaign “Mask Up for Nevada” put on by Experience Strategy Associates amid the spread of the coronavirus on June 25, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. On Wednesday, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak signed a directive requiring people to wear face coverings in public places throughout the state beginning on June 26 in response to a four-week upward trend of new daily COVID-19 cases. (Photo by David Becker/Zuma Press)

Hindu devotees light “Diyas” (earthen lamps) on a Rangoli, a framework of decorated pattern, as part of Diwali festivities in a temple premises in Dhaka, Bangladesh on November 12, 2023. The festival takes place every year in accordance with the Hindu lunar calendar. The word “Diwali” is derived from the Sanskrit word “Deepavali”, meaning series of lighted lamps; hence, it is also known as the festival of lights. Diwali is typically celebrated by socializing and exchanging gifts with family and friends. Many light oil lamps or candles to symbolize a victory of light over darkness, and fireworks are set off as part of the celebrations. (Photo by Joy Saha/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

Serra da Aboboreira Megalithic Set (Meninas do Crasto) on September 24, 2023 in Baiao, Portugal. Since 1978 that Serra da Aboboreira (Aboboreira Mountains) has been the scene of a systematic study of its archeological values, among which are the monuments known as megalithic. These are funerary monuments designing the landscape. These dolmens were constructed with stones (lithos) of medium or large dimensions (mega), which were laid in a, more or less, vertical position. Over these, it was still placed a lid, also of stone. These containers were covered by an artificial mound of earth and stones (dolmen). (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)

Badminton School sixth form pupils (L-R) Lucy Warden, who got 3 A* and is off to study English at Durham, Sam Crumpton, who got 1 A* and 2 A's and is off to study to be a vet at Cambridge and Madeline Sunter, who got 2 A* and 1 B, and is off to study fashion at St. Martins, celebrate their A-level results on August 18, 2011 in Bristol, England. With another record year for A-level results, sixth-form students face a scramble for university places in the final year before tuition fees rise. According to the examination bodies the pass rate rose for the 29th successive year to hit 97.8 percent, while around one in 12 exams achieved the top A* grade. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

“Cassowaries are large, flightless birds related to emus and (more distantly) to ostriches, rheas, and kiwis”, writes Olivia Judson in the September issue of National Geographic magazine. How large? People-size: Adult males stand well over five foot five and top 110 pounds. Females are even taller, and can weigh more than 160 pounds. Dangerous when roused, they’re shy and peaceable when left alone. But even birds this big and tough are prey to habitat loss. The dense New Guinea and Australia rain forests where they live have dwindled. Today cassowaries might number 1,500 to 2,000. And because they help shape those same forests – by moving seeds from one place to another – “if they vanish”, Judson writes, “the structure of the forest would gradually change” too. (Photo by Christian Ziegler/National Geographic)

Historical re-enactor Andreas Wenzell dresses as Britain's King Richard the third in a living history camp during an anniversary event for the Battle of Bosworth near Market Bosworth in central Britain, August 23, 2015. The Battle of Bosworth took place in 1485 during the War of the Roses between the House of Lancaster and the House of York. King Richard III was defeated by Henry Tudor marking the end of Plantagenet rule and the beginning of the Tudor dynasty. (Photo by Neil Hall/Reuters)

A period of relative stability has put the Iranian capital No1 on the list of world cities that have achieved biggest improvements in liveability over the past five years, as calculated by the Economist Intelligence Unit. The “most improved” top 10 contains some unexpected names. So, eg, the fourth place: Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Latest ranking: 128; Ranking five years ago: 131; Five-year index movement: 3.8%. Here: A supporter of Ivory Coast president Alassane Ouattara campaigns in a market in the city’s Koumassi quarter. (Photo by Sia Kambou/AFP Photo)