The "lost friend” is the most famous of the six moai statues that were removed from Easter Island.

Famously misunderstood wonder of the ancient world

A graceful natural rock formation stands astride the point where the Gulf of California meets the Pacific Ocean.

Clap your hands at the base of the pyramid, and the song of a sacred Mayan bird will echo through the air.

No telescopes, no power, no gift shop: The Observatory of Chichen Itza, one of the world's oldest observatories, takes astronomy back to basics.

Every equinox this Maya pyramid puts on a spooky ancient light show.

This volcanic cave lake is essentially hard proof that Iceland is the most magical place on Earth.

The Hveragerði fissure runs through this unassuming shopping center.

Iceland's tribute to its thankless civil servants.

The picturesque birthplace of Icelandic democracy is drenched in the blood of its brutal past.

This stunning concert hall has become a symbol of Iceland's national recovery.

A sulfuric martian landscape that looks far better than it smells.

These ominous lava formations were said to be an entrance to the netherworld so of course they inspired a famous metal band.

This valley of hot springs and boiling mud pots is home to the record-holding "Geysir," which originated the English word.

This elegant arc of a waterfall marks a religious turning point.

Strange rock formations tower above the river that snakes through this enchanting Icelandic canyon.

Iceland's largest lagoon is home to stunning multi-colored icebergs.

One of the tallest buildings in Iceland, and perhaps, the most visually impressive.

The last remaining relic of San Francisco's glittering 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition.

San Francisco's newly reopened hands-on science museum.

Seller of surplus nuclear research materials.

Thousands of pieces of art have been carved into the rock at the site of an ancient volcanic eruption.

A natural formation that resembles a camel resting in the New Mexico desert.

The official atomic museum of the United States explores the explosive and productive history of a much maligned energy source.