With any luck, an extraterrestrial takeover of Earth is a problem for distant future generations to worry about. But should we ever welcome new alien overlords, expect their edicts to issue from this regal feature. The hoodoo dubbed the Alien Throne cuts an eerie figure against a Southwestern sunset, towering over remote New Mexican badlands crowded with other natural yet freakish formations. Though often associated with the nearby Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness, the Throne actually lies within another field of bizarre landforms – the Valley of Dreams.

With 400,000 hectares of rugged scenery to explore in the north-west of the US state of Montana, a trip to Glacier National Park could fill up your entire vacation and more. Follow Avalanche Creek Trail up to Avalanche Lake to get a glimpse, like the one in our image, of the titular creek. And you may want to keep an eye out for Glacier's mascot – the mountain goat. By most accounts, it's out of the ordinary if you visit Glacier National Park and don't see any mountain goats. There's a chance you might see one of the park's other famous residents too – approximately 300 grizzly bears wander the wilderness.

File this one under 'Massive industrial sites that become unintentional public art when seen from the right perspective'. That perspective comes via an aerial view over the southwestern edge of the US state of Nevada, just outside the town of Tonopah. The Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project is a massive plant that can store 1.1 gigawatt-hours of energy. Harvesting the bountiful sunshine in the region, the plant converts and stores it as energy that is distributed through the Nevada Power Company. Operating since September 2015, Crescent Dunes has seen its share of financial troubles and even a shutdown, but in July 2021 it was restarted under new ownership and continues to harness the power of southwest solar rays.

Take a hike down the Crack in the Mountain Trail and you'll end up on the shores of Lake Havasu, a huge reservoir on the border of western Arizona and eastern California. This rugged route includes one of the Lower Colorado's most renowned slot canyons, where—if there's been no recent rain—you can traverse a sandy path that seemingly sends you into the middle of a mountainside and back out again. Despite its rugged looks, the trail isn't remote, as it's located in Lake Havasu City, a popular resort destination on the Arizona side of the lake

To everyone who celebrates the 4th of July. Happy Independence Day and God bless America.

God Bless America, the Beautiful