In Pictures

The vernal equinox: Spring has sprung

Spring and autumn equinoxes mark the point when hours of night and day are nearly equal right across the globe.

Spring equinox — Preparing for Persian New Year in Afghanistan. The event is traditionally celebrated on the spring equinox. [Muhammad Sadiq/EPA]

Spring has sprung – at least it has for those in the northern hemisphere.

At 04:30 GMT on Sunday, the sun crossed the celestial equator heading towards its most northerly point, the Tropic of Cancer, at the summer solstice.

The spring and autumn equinoxes mark the point when hours of night and day are nearly equal right across the globe.

Sun worship was one of the main forms of religious practice among our ancestors, and there are stlll plenty of people who at least acknowledge the “other world” significance of the sun and moon.

Ancient sites such as Glastonbury and Stonehenge in the UK are thronged with sun worshippers, as well as those looking to feel the vibe of these ancient sites at significant times of the sun’s cycle.

Much-needed rain is bringing life back to the ancient ecosystem of the Huwaizah Marshes, after years of devastation.

Iraq's marshes revived: long-awaited rains bring life back to wetlands

The researchers credit the slowdown to policies implemented by Brazil’s President Lula da Silva to curb deforestation.

Aerial view of a forest fire in the Amazon Rainforest, Brazil in September 2020.

From heatwaves to wildfires and shrinking ice cover, Europe is facing ‘severe’ impact from climate change, UN body says.

A woman poses beside a Swiss national flag near a snow-topped mountain.

An unusual April heatwave is scorching large parts of India, with temperatures exceeding 46°C in some areas.

00:59