Waser

A burqa-clad woman walks past a window screen on her way to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees' Camp for Internationally Displaced Persons in Jalozai on July 13.

А male orangutan peers from behind a tree while crossing a river in Borneo, Indonesia. Rampant palm oil cultivation threatens this critically endangered ape, forcing the normally arboreal species to resort to unusual behavior—such as wading through crocodile-infested rivers—in order to survive.

A story in the May 2009 issue documented the worldwide phenomenon of green roofs, demonstrated here by a roof in New York City. Green roofs absorb rainfall, reduce runoff, and lower summer temperatures on the roof.

As part of the May 2008 special issue on China, one story focused on the rural village of Dimen. In this photo, a television actress has returned to the village for a visit, showing a recent performance to her grandmother.

A sea otter finds sanctuary from toxic algae blooms in the boat harbor of Homer, Alaska.

A sherpa fixes ropes on Ama Dablam mountain in the Himalayas of eastern Nepal.