BAKER ISLAND, MAINE — As the sun sets, a warm glow washes over the coniferous evergreens surrounding the Baker Island Lighthouse, located off the coast of Mount Desert Island within Acadia National Park.

ODDER, DENMARK — After a long morning of work on her permaculture garden, Petersholm, Andrea Cecilia Mayoh Moreno takes a quiet moment outside her clay-and-hay “hobbit house” to rest and pet her cat. The earth-built home, which she shares with her partner Jørgen, sits tucked away from the main community space and serves as her sanctuary on the farm.

ISHØJ, DENMARK — After finishing dinner, Birgitte leans in to kiss Martin goodnight. Martin, who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 2007, has seen the disease become more aggressive over time and is now wheelchair-dependent. He and Birgitte have been together for 44 years. “These small moments are actually quite nice. My wife and our relationship are really important, and every day we agree that we have a good life,” Martin said. Despite the challenges of MS, he finds comfort in their shared routines and quiet moments together.

ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, MAINE — Stars shine above the coniferous tree line near the Fabbri Picnic Area along Park Loop Road in Acadia National Park.

WELLS, MAINE — SEPTEMBER 23, 2025 — Kameron Culbertson, a member of the Acadia National Park Fire Crew, lights flames during a prescribed back burn at the Wells Barrens Preserve. Conducted by TREX Maine and the Acadia National Park Fire Management Team, the burn targets “ladder branches,” the lower limbs of trees that can carry flames into the canopy. By removing the ladder branches of birch, which are outcompeting pine, land managers aim to give pines a better chance to regenerate. Because the fire is limited to lower branches, most pines survive, helping maintain a pine-dominated landscape over time.

AARHUS, DENMARK — Leaning down and holding her dog Cato’s face in her palms, Dorte Tilma takes a quiet moment in her loom room. A weaver from Denmark, she has been collecting natural materials since she was around nine or ten. Her work is deeply connected to nature, using elements like seaweed, wood, bones, and fibers found in forests and on beaches.

BOWLING GREEN, KENTUCKY — Renae (left) and Kellie (right) embrace after hearing the baby’s heartbeat, a moment that brought relief and reassurance. Since learning her daughter was pregnant—and knowing the father would not be involved—Renae temporarily moved in to support Kellie in any way she could. “There was one night I was craving Waffle House at 2 a.m. and I asked Mom if she could drive me there, and she said yes,” Kellie said.

SCHOODIC PENINSULA, MAINE — Kaetlynn Robinson (left) and 2025 Acadia Teacher Fellows Sandy Lord (middle) and Gi Reed (right) dig through seaweed in their quadrant during the Invasive Crab Survey on Little Moose Island, led by the Schoodic Institute. The survey aims to engage participants in citizen science while collecting data on the steadily increasing population of invasive Asian green crabs in Acadia, a growth driven in part by a warming climate.

ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, MAINE — As the sun sets over the summit of Sargent Mountain, Dr. Brittany Slabach’s small mammal research team quickly sets several traps to study the local wildlife. Her team is the first to conduct small mammal research on Acadia’s mountain summits. Through “The Little Box Project,” they aim to determine what the mammals are eating and whether there is a greater variety of species beyond deer mice, which have so far been the most commonly captured on Sargent Mountain.

BOWLING GREEN, KENTUCKY — Laura Bratcher (right), a 45-year-old single mother, plays with her daughter Piper Leonard (left) in their backyard on a Sunday evening. Piper, who has Autism Spectrum Disorder, finds joy in constant movement, especially swinging and outdoor play with her mother. Bratcher, a Longhorn Steakhouse server for 21 years, works morning shifts, leaving her afternoons to spend time with Piper.

MOUNT DESERT ISLAND, MAINE — The fall harvest moon rises over Hulls Cove, casting light across the water as the sun sets on the opposite side of Mount Desert Island. Later that night, the harvest moon coincided with a king tide.

BOWLING GREEN, KENTUCKY — Creste Jean, the Equine Manager at Western Kentucky University, works to unfreeze the drinking water in the WKU Farm fields on Sunday night. After a recent snowfall left the horses without water, Creste and her coworkers woke up early to ensure the animals had access to fresh water.

AARHUS, DENMARK — A visitor explores the variety of plants at the Aarhus Botanical Gardens. Located in the city center, the garden’s greenhouses are designed to represent four different international climate zones.

BOWLING GREEN, KENTUCKY — Queen Rita Room, a local drag performer, prepares for her role in the comfort of her dressing room. Each Wednesday night, she hosts Drag Bingo at Landon’s Sugar Shack Bar and Restaurant. Her transformation begins around 5 p.m., starting with concealer, then using masking tape to carefully apply eyeliner, and finishing with a distinctive outfit and wig.

BOWLING GREEN, KENTUCKY — Saul Villavicencio-Sanchez (left) takes part in a kickboxing session with coach Josh Biggs (right) at Fuel Fortress Fitness Center. Originally from Mexico, Villavicencio-Sanchez now lives in Bowling Green and has been practicing kickboxing for a year and a half.

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND — Participants of Harbor Splash 2024 jump into the Baltimore Harbor at Bond Street Wharf in Fells Point on Sunday, June 23. After decades of improvements that drastically reduced sewage in the Inner Harbor, the city hosted its first major swimming event in roughly 40 years.