Jurassic Coast, Dorset, England 16 Oct 2024

If you"re a fan of dinosaurs, trilobites or fossilised shells, then let"s visit the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in England. It"s like a giant natural history museum, with rocks and cliffs that reveal 185 million years of Earth"s history. But what really steals the show are the fossils, especially those of belemnites and ammonites—extinct marine creatures—that are pictured here. Mary Anning, a pioneering fossil hunter who combed these shores, paved the way for our current understanding of fossils. Lyme Regis and Charmouth are hotspots for fossil hunting. In these towns, you"ll find beaches where fossils practically wash up at your feet. The coast"s rock formations are more than just pretty to look at—they"re iconic. Durdle Door, a natural limestone arch, and Old Harry Rocks, a set of chalk formations near Swanage, are some of the examples.

© Nature Picture Library/Alamy Stock Photo

palette

Today in History

Southern tip of a northern isle
16 Oct 2023Golden larches and Prusik Peak, Enchantments, Washington, USA
16 Oct 2025Eurasian lynx

More Desktop Wallpapers:

25 May 2025Butchart Gardens in Brentwood Bay, British Columbia, Canada
19 Jun 2024Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, USA
27 Oct 2024British Summer Time ends
7 Nov 2023Kirkilai lakes, Biržai Regional Park, Lithuania
29 Aug 2025Aerial view of Plaza Mayor, Madrid, Spain
14 Sep 2024Last Night of the Proms
3 Feb 2024Carnival of Venice
9 Mar 2024Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness, New Mexico, USA
A chocolate lovers favourite fruit
8 Jul 2025Seceda, Dolomites, South Tyrol, Italy
11 Sep 2025Gdańsk on the banks of the Motława river, Poland
The other great barrier reef
A cantilevered window to the past
14 Apr 2024Bowling Ball Beach, California, USA
31 Mar 2024Happy Easter!
A delightfully ornate Easter display
22 Jan 2024Walton Lighthouse, Santa Cruz, California, USA
Grand slam tournament
Where fire and water meet
9 Dec 2025Guanaco, Punta Norte, Valdés Peninsula, Argentina
5 Jun 2025World Environment Day
5 Oct 2023World Teachers Day
13 Nov 2025Quiver trees, Keetmanshoop, Namibia
Autumn on Windermere
22 Nov 2023Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA
24 Jun 2024Kelimutu, Flores, Indonesia
18 May 2025International Museum Day
20 Feb 2024Kinder Scout, England
3 Aug 2024Three Natural Bridges, Wulong National Park, China
2 Apr 2025Sandstone formations in the badlands near Caineville, Utah, United States