Aerial view of rice fields in Yunnan Province, China -- Jialiang Gao/Getty Images

Aerial view of rice fields in Yunnan Province, China -- Jialiang Gao/Getty Images

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• The steep hills of this region forced locals to become a little more creative when creating fields.""Do you like this field of art?
• A traditional local dish has a rather unusual name.""On the other hand it tastes divine
• The people who built these thousand-year-old terraces can remember 50 generations of their ancestors.""Find out more about these people
• Because it\s sheltered by the high slopes of the Tibetan Plateau this region was given a name that means “south of the clouds”.""Where is it?

Pinnacles of sandstone among orange dunes of the Karnasai Valley, Chad -- George Steinmetz/Corbis

Pinnacles of sandstone among orange dunes of the Karnasai Valley, Chad -- George Steinmetz/Corbis

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• This enormous sandpit is so large that it is almost the same size as Europe.""Can you guess which one it is?
• The nearest seaport to this sandy nation\s capital is more than 1,000 kilometres away.""No wonder they call it the Dead Heart of Africa
• It may seem hard to believe but this desert used to be much wetter and people lived here.""We know this because they left us these picturesque clues
• You may catch quite a thirst here but it is nothing compared to the driest place on Earth.""It has not rained there for more than 2 million years!

Saddleback caterpillar on a leaf in the Cockscomb Basin, Belize -- Frans Lanting/Corbis

Saddleback caterpillar on a leaf in the Cockscomb Basin, Belize -- Frans Lanting/Corbis

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• This may look like a cute little caterpillar but don\t get too close as it has a painful sting.""What is it?
• As well as being brightly coloured and spiky, this bug has what appear to be eyes on the back of its head.""Would you want to eat something staring back at you?
• The prettiest creatures are quite often the deadliest!""Check out this collection of nature\s killing machines
• You can find these unusual insects all over north America but this particular one is in a park famous for its jaguars.""See more pictures from this big cat\s paradise

Notting Hill Carnival, London, England -- Bettina Strenske/Photolibrary

Notting Hill Carnival, London, England -- Bettina Strenske/Photolibrary

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• Europe\s largest carnival boasts 20 miles of colourful costumes, 40 sound systems and more than 1 million visitors.""Welcome to Notting Hill
• Yesterday was the special day for children to watch the show, but today it\s the adults\ turn.""See more carnival pictures
• Since 1964, people have been partying in this part of London and taking in some of the sounds smells and colours that its festival is famed for.""Here\s where you should be heading
• It\s not only the reveller\s faces that draw attention here - you\ll spot a few celebrity ones as well.""And if you\re really lucky, you might get to go out with one

Wave breaking off Ke'e Beach on Kauai, Hawaii, USA -- Mark A. Johnson/Corbis

Wave breaking off Ke'e Beach on Kauai, Hawaii, USA -- Mark A. Johnson/Corbis

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• Apart from the sun, sea and sand, the most popular reason to hit this shore is for the snorkelling.""Where is it?
• This beach is on the north coast of the oldest of the main Hawaiian islands.""See where the Garden Isle is
• As the last beach on the island accessible by car, this place really is the end of the road - but once you get there the sunsets are amazing.""See pictures of them in all their glory
• These islands have an extraordinary past involving volcanoes, goddesses, seafaring adventurers and precious objects.""Find out more about Hawaii

The eruption of Puyehue - Cordon Caulle Rininahue Volcano, Chile -- Ian Salas/Photolibrary

The eruption of Puyehue - Cordon Caulle Rininahue Volcano, Chile -- Ian Salas/Photolibrary

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• If you can stand the heat, have nerves of steel and are able to dodge flying boulders then what do think would be a good career path for you?""This job involves some seriously high-pressure work!
• Ready for more amazing eruption images?""Of course you are
• Early in the morning on this day in 1883, the final cataclysmic moments of one of the world\s most awesome eruptions happened.""It is said to be the loudest ever sound in recorded history
• Similar to the Icelandic eruption that brought air traffic in Europe to a standstill last year, this eruption had a similar effect on the southern hemisphere only a few months ago.""Where did it come from?

Staghorn coral, Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Australia -- Frans Lanting/Corbis

Staghorn coral, Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Australia -- Frans Lanting/Corbis

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• You could be forgiven for thinking you have stumbled upon an army of underwater antlers.""Well that is at least how they got their name
• Sadly, this spiky sea-specimen is critically endangered from disease because of the way it reproduces.""Find out more
• What you are looking at is just a tiny part of the world\s largest living structure.""It\s large enough to be seen from space – but what is it?
• It may have taken this reef 8,000 years to form but with some care, attention and a healthy dose of patience you can have your own.""Here\s how to build your own coral aquarium