Today marks the halfway point of the 70-day Olympic Torch relay through the United Kingdom. Since arriving in Cornwall on May 18, the flame has been carried through villages and cities, across lakes and mountain ranges, on foot, by train, on horseback, and through the air, from Cornwall to the Shetland Islands. By the time it reaches London to launch the 2012 Summer Olympics in 35 days, the torch will have passed through the hands of 8,000 torchbearers. [31 photos]
Torchbearer Peter Jack holds the Olympic Flame aloft on the Giant's Causeway, County Antrim on day 17 of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay on June 4, 2012 near Belfast, Northern Ireland. (LOCOG via Getty Images)
- 2012 Olympics
- Aaron Sorkin
- Alastair Grant
- Andrew Cohen
- Anne-Marie Slaughter
- Athens
- Ballintoy
- Bath
- Belfast
- Ben Birchall
- Ben Fogle
- Ben Nevis
- Blair Marquis
- Brian Fung
- British Airways
- Bryan Lufkin
- Caitlin Flanagan
- Chris Radburn
- Christine Langham
- Danny Lawson
- David Beckham
- David Moir
- Davie Austin
- Denis Broderick
- Dennis May
- Derek Thompson
- Edinburgh
- Elizabeth II
- Falkirk
- Fire
- Flame
- Fort William
- Gareth Fuller
- Geraldine McCann
- Getty Images
- Glasgow
- Greece
- Hans Villarica
- How Brazilian
- Islamic Republic of Iran
- James Coupland
- James McAvoy
- Jamie Green
- Jared Keller
- Jeff J Mitchell
- Jennie Rothenberg Gritz
- Jodrell Bank Observatory
- John Bishop
- John Hudson
- John Mitchell
- Jon Lovett
- Jordan Weissmann
- Joseph Forrest
- Josephine Loughran
- Kasia Cieplak-Mayr von Baldegg
- Kate Bolick
- Katherine Milne
- Kieran Doherty
- Kirsty Wade
- Lesley Forrest
- Loch Ness
- London
- London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games
- Mad Men
- Madras College
- Mathew Cox
- Max Fisher
- Megan Garber
- Metropolitan Police
- Nevis
- Newcastle
- Newcastle upon Tyne
- Northern Ireland
- Northern Ireland Assembly parliament
- Olympic Flame
- Olympic Games
- Paralympic
- Peter Jack
- Philip
- Richard Jackson
- Risa Lavizzo-Mourey
- Scotland
- Scott Meslow
- Shetland Islands
- St Andrews
- St. Andrews
- St. Austell
- Steve Clemons
- Steven Heller
- Summer Olympics
- Supreme Court
- the 2012 Summer Olympics
- Thirsk
- Torch
- Tracy Moseley
- United Kingdom
- West Sands beach
- York
- Yui Mok
Yesterday was the Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, the day of the year when the sun was at its highest point in the sky. People around the world are welcoming the start of the new season by enjoying (or avoiding) the hot weather. In southern England, where yesterday brought heavy rains, pagans gathered at Stonehenge and reveled in spite of the downpour. Collected here are a handful of images of the beginning of Summer, 2012. [31 photos]
A Bengal tiger, sprayed with water by a zookeeper on a hot summer day at the Birsa Munda Zoological Park in Ranchi, India, on May 30, 2012. Zoo authorities are helping the animals cope with temperatures in excess of 40 degrees Celsius (104F) by providing coolers, special roofs and regular hose-downs. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)
- Aaron Sorkin
- Abbeville
- Alaska
- Alex Grimm
- Alexander Klein
- Allahabad
- Allison Joyce
- Anchorage
- Anchorage, Alaska
- Andrew Cohen
- Andy Wong
- Anne-Marie Slaughter
- artist-run hotel
- bank
- Beijing
- Boatel
- Boston
- Boston University
- Brian Fung
- Bryan Lufkin
- Brynn Anderson
- Budapest
- Caitlin Flanagan
- Calendars
- California
- Celsius
- Colorado
- Danube river
- Derek Thompson
- Dhansari river
- Elsie Andre
- Felix Ordonez
- Fort Collins
- France
- Germany
- Getty Images
- Getty Images
- Hameln
- Hans Villarica
- Heat wave
- How Brazilian
- Hungary
- Ilya Naymushin
- India
- Islamic Republic of Iran
- Jared Keller
- Jennie Rothenberg Gritz
- Jessica Rinaldi
- John Hudson
- Jon Lovett
- Jordan Weissmann
- Julian Stratenschulte
- Justin Sullivan
- Karl-Josef Hildenbrand
- Kasia Cieplak-Mayr von Baldegg
- Kate Bolick
- Kerstin Joensson
- Krasnoyarsk
- Kumanovo
- Lahore
- Laszlo Balogh
- Litzlalm mountain
- Mad Men
- Marci Hohner
- Mark Lennihan
- Massachusetts
- Matt Cardy
- Max Fisher
- Mayfly
- Measurement
- Megan Garber
- Met Office
- Michael Lawson
- Mississippi
- Nagaland
- Nathan Latil
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- National Weather Service
- New York
- New York City
- New York's Times
- Ognen Teofilovski
- Oregon
- Ostfriesland
- Pakistan
- Philadelphia
- Physics
- Poland
- Portland
- Providence
- Rajesh Kumar Singh
- Ranchi
- Reuters
- Rhode Island
- Rick Bowmer
- Rick Wilking
- Risa Lavizzo-Mourey
- Ron Barta
- Russia
- Salisbury
- Salzburg
- San Francisco
- Scott Meslow
- Skopje
- Solstice
- Spring
- Steve Clemons
- Steven Heller
- Steven Senne
- summer solstice
- Supreme Court
- Tatyshev Island
- Time
- Tisza river
- Tiszainoka
- Trauchgau
- United Kingdom
- United States
- University of Mississippi
- University of Mississippi Biological Field Station
- Vallejo
- Vienna
- Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in Vienna
- Warsaw
- Wyatt Taylor
- Yenisei River
The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, or Rio+20, begins today in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. An outgrowth of the Earth Summit held in Rio in 1992, the conference is designed to bring together 50,000 delegates from state governments, institutions, and non-governmental organizations to create measures to reduce poverty while promoting clean energy, decent jobs, and sustainable use of resources. The conference has attracted many protests and parallel events, as diverse groups struggle to share the world stage and make their voices heard. Collected here are just a few of the scenes from Rio+20. [37 photos]
An indigenous child from Kayapo tribe attends first indigenous assembly for the Rio+20 Conference at Kari-Oca village in Rio de Janeiro, on June 14, 2012. Indigenous people from around the world are visiting the village for the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. (Reuters/Ricardo Moraes)
- Acailandia
- Adam Thierer
- Altamira
- Amazon
- Ana Carolina Fernades
- Ana Carolina Fernandes
- Andrew Cohen
- Anne-Marie Slaughter
- Antonio Scorza
- Belo
- Botafogo beach
- Brazil
- Brian Fung
- Busy Coffee Shops
- Caitlin Flanagan
- Charlie Wells
- Christophe Simon
- clean energy
- Congress
- Copacabana
- Copacabana beach
- David A. Graham
- Derek Thompson
- Eduardo Paes
- electricity
- Environment
- Environmental
- Felipe Dana
- Flamengo beach
- Getty Images
- Guanabara Bay
- Habiba Nosheen
- Hans Villarica
- Howard W. French
- Internet Freedom Jerry Brito
- Jacare river
- Jack Hamilton
- James Fallows
- Jennie Rothenberg Gritz
- Jerry Brito
- Jonathan Bogart
- Jordan Weissmann
- Kasia Cieplak-Mayr von Baldegg
- Mad Men
- Mario Tama
- Michael R. Bloomberg
- mining
- New York
- New York
- paint
- Para
- Peter Orszag
- Peter Osnos
- Raoni
- Rebecca J. Rosen
- red paint
- Ricardo Moraes
- Rio de Janeiro
- Rio de Janeiro
- Sergio Moraes
- Siemens
- Silvia Izquierdo
- Sugarloaf mountain
- the Indian Green Games
- United Nations
- Vale SA
- Vik Muniz
- Xingu River
- YouTube
China, the most populous country and the second-largest economy in the world, is a vast, dynamic nation that continues to grow and evolve in the 21st century. In this, the latest entry in a semi-regular series on China, we find images of tremendous variety, including astronauts, nomadic herders, replica European villages, pole dancers, RV enthusiasts, traditional farmers, and inventors. This collection is only a small view of the people and places in China over the past several weeks. [47 photos]
Liu Yang, China's first female astronaut, waves during a departure ceremony at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Gansu province, on June 16, 2012. China sent its first woman taikonaut into outer space this week, prompting a surge of national pride as the rising power takes its latest step towards putting a space station in orbit within the decade. Liu, a 33-year-old fighter pilot, joined two other taikonauts aboard the Shenzhou 9 spacecraft when it lifted off from a remote Gobi Desert launch site. (Reuters/Jason Lee)
- Adam Thierer
- Andrew Cohen
- Andy Wong
- Anhui
- Anne-Marie Slaughter
- Austria
- Bahrain
- Beijing
- Beijing
- Bobby Yip
- Boluo
- Brian Fung
- Busy Coffee Shops
- Caitlin Flanagan
- Carlos Barria
- Chaohu lake
- Charlie Wells
- Chateau
- Chen Guangcheng
- China
- China Daily
- China Minmetals Corporation
- Chinese Association for Student Nutrition and Health
- Chinese Communist Party
- Chinese space program
- Congress
- controversial site
- David A. Graham
- David Gray
- Derek Thompson
- Dongshigu
- Eugene Hoshiko
- excavation site
- Fat Reduction Hospital
- France
- Funeral services
- Gansu
- Getty Images
- Gobi Desert
- Guangdong
- Guiyang
- Guizhou
- Habiba Nosheen
- Haiyang
- Hallstatt
- Hans Villarica
- Hefei
- heritage site
- Howard W. French
- Hubei
- Huizhou
- International Air Transport Association
- Internet Freedom Jerry Brito
- Jack Hamilton
- James Fallows
- Jason Lee
- Jennie Rothenberg Gritz
- Jerry Brito
- Jing Haipeng
- Jiuquan
- Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
- Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
- Jonathan Bogart
- Jordan Weissmann
- Kasia Cieplak-Mayr von Baldegg
- launch site
- Li Wangyang
- Liaoning
- Liu Wang
- Liu Wang
- Liu Yang
- Local media
- Long March
- luxury hotel
- Mad Men
- Manned spacecraft
- Mark Ralston
- Mongolia
- New York
- Peter Orszag
- Peter Osnos
- Qinghai
- Rebecca J. Rosen
- Reuters
- Russia
- RV China Association
- Ryan Pierse
- Shaanxi
- Shandong Province
- Shanghai
- Shenyang Sports School in Shenyang
- Shenzhou
- Shenzhou programme
- Soo Hoo Zheyang
- Soviet Union
- state television network
- Tamdin Thar
- Tianjin
- Tibet
- Tyrone Siu
- United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization
- United States
- vegetable seller
- Vincent Thian
- Vincent Yu
- Wuhan
- Wuqing
- Xi'an
- Xiang Yu
- Xiao Cao
- Xinhua News Agency
- Xinjiang
- Xuhui
- YouTube
- Zhejiang
Ten years ago, the International Labor Organization (ILO) established June 12 as World Day Against Child Labor. The ILO, an agency of the United Nations, says on its website: "Hundreds of millions of girls and boys throughout the world are engaged in work that deprives them of adequate education, health, leisure and basic freedoms, violating their rights." The World Day Against Child Labor was launched as a way to highlight the plight of these children and support governments and social organizations in their campaigns against child labor. [37 photos]
The rough hands of an Afghan child, at the Sadat Ltd. Brick factory, where some children work from 8am to 5 pm daily, seen on May 14, 2010 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Child labor is common at the brick factories where the parents work as laborers, desperate to make more money enlisting their children to help doing the easy jobs. (Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)
- Adam Thierer
- Afghanistan
- Alaa al-Marjani
- Andrew Biraj
- Andrew Cohen
- Anne-Marie Slaughter
- Bachpan Bachao Andolan
- Baghdad
- Bangladesh
- Benin
- Bihar
- Bolivia
- Brian Fung
- Buriganga River
- Burma
- Burmese government
- Busy Coffee Shops
- Caitlin Flanagan
- Cambodia
- Central America
- Cerro Rico hill
- Charlie Wells
- Child labour
- child miners
- Childhood
- Childhood Movement
- China
- Clifton beach
- Congo
- Congress
- construction site
- Cotonou
- Daniel Berehulak
- Darfur
- David A. Graham
- Derek Thompson
- Dhaka
- El Paraiso
- food
- Getty Images
- Getty Images
- Guangdong
- Guatemala City
- Habib
- Habiba Nosheen
- Halim
- Hans Villarica
- Heng Sinith
- Honduras
- Howard W. French
- Hyderabad
- Ilakaka
- Impulse
- India
- International Labor Organization
- Internet Freedom Jerry Brito
- Iraq
- Islamabad
- Jack Hamilton
- Jaintia Hills
- Jaintia Hills
- Jaintia Hills
- James Fallows
- Jammu
- Jennie Rothenberg Gritz
- Jerry Brito
- Jonathan Bogart
- Jordan Weissmann
- Jorge Dan Lopez
- Jose Gonzales
- Kabul
- Kandal
- Karachi
- Kasia Cieplak-Mayr von Baldegg
- Katmandu
- Kevin Frayer
- Khartoum
- Labor
- Lad Rymbai
- Latin America
- Latyrke
- Mad Men
- Mahesh Kumar
- Majid Saeedi
- Manish Swarup
- Mass media
- Masud
- Maya
- Meghalaya
- metal processing plant
- metal workshop
- Mithun
- Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah
- Muhammed Muheisen
- Mumbai
- Munir Uz Zaman
- Myanmar
- Naginah Sadiq
- Nepal
- New Delhi
- Orlando Sierra
- Pakistan
- Paula Bronstein
- Pavel Rahman
- Peter Orszag
- Peter Osnos
- Potosi
- primitive tools
- Ratnagiri
- Rebecca J. Rosen
- Reuters
- Roberto Schmidt
- Sabah Arar
- Sadat Ltd.
- Sadr City
- safety equipment
- Shaheen
- Shefali
- state media
- Sudan
- Tangail
- Tegucigalpa
- Time
- United Nation Childrens Fund
- United Nations
- United States
- Uttar Pradesh
- work site
- Yangon
- Yangonk
- YouTube
One year ago, the small town of Joplin, Missouri, was devastated by an EF5 Tornado. A mile-wide multiple-vortex tornado, with estimated winds peaking at 362 to 402 km/h (225 to 250 mph), tore through the area on May 22, destroying more than 7,000 houses, killing 161 people, and injuring hundreds more. The task of rebuilding is underway, but the scale is daunting -- a year later, Joplin still has an eight-mile scar running through its middle. Gathered here are images of the town on this somber anniversary. [See also, Tornado Ravages Joplin, Missouri, from last year.] [30 photos]
A tall steel cross is refracted in raindrops on a window in Joplin, Missouri, on May 7, 2012. The cross is all that was left standing of St. Mary's Catholic Church, which was destroyed by an EF-5 tornado that tore through a large swath of the city and killed 161 people nearly a year ago. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
- Adam Thierer
- Andrew Cohen
- Anne-Marie Slaughter
- Ashlyn Griffberg
- Autumn Achey
- Barack Obama
- Blair Irvin III
- Blair Irvin Jr.
- Brian Fung
- Busy Coffee Shops
- Caitlin Flanagan
- Camryn Dean
- Cary Caylor
- Catholic Church
- Charlie Riedel
- Charlie Wells
- Chris Sixx
- Class
- Congress
- David A. Graham
- David Hoosier
- Derek Thompson
- Dina Meek
- Dolores Bilke
- Emily Frankoski
- Eric Thayer
- Family
- Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Getty Images
- Habiba Nosheen
- Hans Villarica
- Howard W. French
- Internet Freedom Jerry Brito
- Jack Hamilton
- Jada Irvin
- James Fallows
- Jasper County, Missouri
- Jennie Rothenberg Gritz
- Jerry Brito
- Joe Raedle
- John Winnett
- Jonathan Bogart
- Joplin
- Joplin High School
- Joplin metropolitan area
- Joplin, Missouri
- Jordan Weissmann
- Juanita Travis
- Kasia Cieplak-Mayr von Baldegg
- Kim Hoosier
- Lance Hare
- Mad Men
- Maddie Meek
- Malachi Murdock
- metal detector
- Missouri
- Missouri Southern State University
- Missouri Southern State University
- Morgan Osburn
- Newton County, Missouri
- Pablo Martinez Monsivais
- Peggy Gettler
- Peter Orszag
- Peter Osnos
- Rebecca J. Rosen
- Samantha Vance
- Sierra Roper
- St. John's Regional Medical Center
- Susan
- tall steel cross
- The Kansas City Star
- Tornado Ravages Joplin
- tree
- YouTube
Based in Nantes, France, the street theatre company Royal de Luxe performs around the world, primarily using gigantic, elaborate marionettes to tell stories that take place over several days and wind through entire cities. Puppeteers maneuver the huge marionettes -- some as tall as 12 meters (40 ft) -- through streets, parks, and waterways, performing their story along the way. Gathered here are images of several recent Royal de Luxe performances, from Belgium, Mexico, Germany, Chile, and England. [38 photos]
A giant marionette, operated by performers, walks in Berlin, Germany, on October 2, 2009. The French marionette street theatre company Royal de Luxe gave open air performances around the Day of German Unity in Berlin. The artists used the giant puppets to tell the story of separation and recovery to commemorate the fall of Berlin Wall 20 years earlier. (Carsten Koall/Getty Images)
- Alejandro Acosta
- Alice G. Walton
- ANDREW YATES
- Antwerp
- Azita Ranjbar
- Belgium
- Ben W. Heineman Jr.
- Berlin
- big giant
- Brian Resnick
- Carsten Koall
- Chile
- Christopher Furlong
- David Gannon
- David Rohde
- David Samuels
- Day of German Unity
- De Luxe
- Derek Thompson
- Diego Rivera
- Dirk Waem
- Egypt
- Eli Epstein
- France
- Frank Deford
- Gay Marriage
- Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
- Germany
- Germany's Unification Day
- Getty Images
- Getty Images
- Guadalajara
- Ivan Alvarado
- Jean-Sebastien Evrard
- Jennie Rothenberg Gritz
- Jim Cooper
- Jim Dyson
- John Meroney
- Jorge Sanchez
- JP Morgan
- Kanye West
- Kasia Cieplak-Mayr von Baldegg
- Kevin Fallon
- laser
- Leap of Faith
- Liverpool
- Liverpool
- London
- Marionette
- Matthew Shelley
- Max Fisher
- Maya Hitij
- Meet Jesus
- Mexico
- Michael Sohn
- Nantes
- Neil Wagner
- Paul Ellis
- Performance art
- Puppet
- Puppetry
- R. Jeffrey Smith
- Rebecca J. Rosen
- Reuters
- River Mersey
- river Spree
- Ronald Brownstein
- Royal de Luxe
- Royal de Luxe
- Royal de Luxe
- Sang Tan
- Santiago
- Sarah Huisenga
- Sea Odyssey
- Sean Gallup
- Stanley Park
- Stephen Hird
- Stephen Marche
- Street theatre
- Taylor Clark
- The Sultan's Elephant
- Tiger Woods
- Tobias Schwarz
- United Kingdom
- Wall 20
It's time once more for a look into the animal kingdom and our interactions with the countless other species that share our planet. Today's photos include researchers dressed in panda costumes, a massage given by an African snail, a 39-pound cat named Meow, a Japanese macaque with hay fever, and orangutans having a playdate using FaceTime on an iPad. These images and many others are part of this roundup of animals in the news from recent weeks, seen from the perspectives of their human observers, companions, captors, and caretakers, part of an ongoing series on animals in the news. [41 photos]
Polar bear cub Anori explores the outdoor enclosure at the zoo in Wuppertal, Germany, on Monday, April 23, 2012. Anori was born on January 4 and is becoming a visitor's highlight. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
- airline
- Alice G. Walton
- Alyona Zlotnikova
- Angola
- Animal Hospital
- Animal welfare
- Anori
- AP Photo/Chicago Zoological Society
- Assam
- Attila Balazs
- Australia
- Awajishima Monkey Center
- Azita Ranjbar
- Bangkok
- Barb Maynes
- Ben Curtis
- Ben Swan
- Ben W. Heineman Jr.
- Benedict XVI
- Birds Island
- Brian Resnick
- Brookfield
- Brookfield Zoo's Animal Hospital
- Budapest
- California
- Cao Cao
- CARL DE SOUZA
- Chad
- China
- China Daily
- Chongqing
- Chongqing
- Clementine
- Colorado
- Commerce City
- Craig Ruttle
- CT technology
- Czech Republic
- Dala
- David Rohde
- David Samuels
- Delfgauw
- Dennis Wiist
- Derek Thompson
- Dubbo
- Dunstable
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Eli Epstein
- Elizabeth II
- Elwha River
- enrichment tools
- Enrique Calvo
- food
- food odors
- Frank Augstein
- Frank Deford
- Gabriel Quijandria
- Gay Marriage
- Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
- Gelsenkirchen
- Germany
- Getty Images
- Getty Images
- Giant Panda
- Guanajuato
- Hamburg
- Hartsdale
- Hetaoping Research and Conservation Center for the Giant Panda
- Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment
- Hungary
- Hyogo
- Il Messaggero
- Illinois
- Ilya Naymushin
- iPads
- Jana Asenbrennerova
- Japan
- Jennie Rothenberg Gritz
- Jennifer Steketee
- Jim Cooper
- Jim Schulz
- John Meroney
- John Moore
- Jose Cabezas
- JP Morgan
- Kanye West
- Kasia Cieplak-Mayr von Baldegg
- Kenya
- Kenzo Tribouillard
- Kerstin Joensson
- Kevin Fallon
- Kevin P. Casey
- Krasnoyarsk
- La Puente
- Laguna
- Lake Oloidien
- laser
- Leap of Faith
- Lima
- Local media
- London
- Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control
- Los Angeles Department
- Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control
- Louisiana
- Maggie
- Mahal
- Manila
- Mark Kolbe
- Martin Meissner
- Matthew Shelley
- Max Fisher
- Max Rossi
- Meet Jesus
- Meghan Caffery
- Meow
- Mexico
- Mira Oberman
- MOHAMMED HUWAIS
- MTI
- Naivasha
- Nando
- National Park Service
- Natural History
- Nebraska
- Neil Wagner
- New Mexico
- New York
- New York
- New York City
- North America
- Omaha
- Paris
- Peru
- Peter Macdiarmid
- Petr David Josek
- Philipp Guelland
- Philippine Animal Welfare Society
- Philippines
- poker chip
- poker chip
- Port Angeles
- Prague
- R. Jeffrey Smith
- Rebecca J. Rosen
- Richard Amaro
- Rick Bowmer
- Rick Wilking
- Robert Schieritz
- Ronald Brownstein
- Russia
- rusty old steel drum
- Salvador
- Salzburg
- San Salvador
- Sanaa
- Santa Fe
- Sarah Huisenga
- Seattle
- Sergei Karpukhin
- She Ping
- Sichuan
- Silvia Oshiro
- Spencer Platt
- Stephen Marche
- Suchitlan lake
- Suchitoto
- Suzanne Aquarium
- Tao Tao
- Taylor Clark
- Thailand
- The Netherlands
- Tiger Woods
- transportation
- Tumbes
- Tyrone Siu
- United Kingdom
- United States
- video applications
- Vienna
- Walter Scott Aquarium
- Washington
- Wuppertal
- Yacolt
- Yamal Peninsula
- YURI CORTEZ
- Zoo
- Zoology
For a number of reasons, natural and human, people have recently evacuated or otherwise abandoned a number of places around the world -- large and small, old and new. Gathering images of deserted areas into a single photo essay, one can get a sense of what the world might look like if humans were to vanish from the planet altogether. Collected here are recent scenes from nuclear-exclusion zones, blighted urban neighborhoods, towns where residents left to escape violence, unsold developments built during the real estate boom, ghost towns, and more. [41 photos]
A tree grows from the top of a chimney in an abandoned factory yard in Luque, on the outskirts of Asuncion, Paraguay, on October 2 , 2011. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)
- abandoned satellite dishes
- Abruzzo
- Adam Wolfberg
- Alan Spearman
- Alexis Madrigal
- Amber Hunt
- America
- Andrew Cohen
- Andy Clark
- Anis Mili
- Arab Socialist Union
- Arizona
- Asuncion
- Atafona
- Atafona beach
- Athens
- Beijing
- Ben Bernanke Saved
- Benghazi
- Benghazi
- Benghazi Cathedral
- Berlin
- Brazil
- British Columbia
- Bulgaria
- Cabiati Ferrazza
- Cachagua Valley
- California
- Carmel
- cement mixers
- China
- China Daily
- Ciudad Juarez
- construction site
- Coolidge
- County Leitrim
- Dangcheng
- Daniel Fromson
- David Gray
- David Mdzinarishvili
- David Rohde
- Detroit
- DIMITAR DILKOFF
- Dina Esfandiary
- Drumshanbo
- Dylan Martinez
- East Germany
- empty Pennhurst State Hospital
- Eric Thayer
- Ernest McCluskie
- European Union
- FILIPPO MONTEFORTE
- Gary
- Georgia
- Getty Images
- Getty Images
- gif
- GLEB GARANICH
- Greece
- Guido Ottavo
- Hiro Komae
- HMS
- India
- Indiana
- Internet Kasia Cieplak-Mayr von Baldegg Presented By How Journalists Reported Hitler Jennie Rothenberg Gritz
- Iraq
- Ireland
- Iron Curtain
- Isaac Brekken
- Islamic Republic of Iran
- Japan
- Jeff Bullis
- Jennie Rothenberg Gritz
- Jharkhand
- Jiangxi Province
- John Campbell
- Joplin
- Jordan Weissmann
- Jorge Saenz
- Jose Luis Gonzalez
- Joshua Lott
- Julie Barnes
- Kasia Cieplak-Mayr von Baldegg
- Komoshtitsa
- Las Vegas
- Libya
- Libya
- London
- Lucas Jackson
- Madrid
- manufacturing plant
- Maria Popova
- Mark Blinch
- Mark Bowden
- massive construction site
- Matt Slocum
- Matthew O'Brien
- Megan McArdle
- Memphis
- Mexico
- Michael Fiala
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Misrata
- Missouri
- Moby-Dick
- Molly Ball
- Moon Enceladus
- Nasiriyah
- Nevada
- North Africa
- North Dakota
- Olympic Games
- Osoyoos
- Paraguay
- past mining dreams
- Paul White
- Pennhurst State Hospital
- Pennsylvania
- phenomenal real estate crash
- Philadelphia
- Poyang Lake
- Prypiat
- Quyang
- radiation
- Ranchi
- real estate boom
- Rebecca J. Rosen
- Red River
- Reuters
- Rio
- Rio de Janeiro
- river Thames
- Roger Lowenstein
- satellite receiver
- Scenic
- Sergio Moraes
- Shannon Stapleton
- Sirte
- Sofia
- South Dakota
- Spain
- Spring City
- Susana Vera
- Tbilisi
- Tennessee
- Tennessee police
- Terrence McCoy
- the 2004 Olympic Games
- The Commercial Appeal
- the Olympics
- Tripoli
- Twila Merril
- Uganda Catholic Church
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Villa Sant
- Vladimir Lenin
- Voynitsa
- Wendy Kaminer