Traffic, spreadsheets, laundry; everyday life can make our surroundings seem pretty dull. And it’s not like we can drop everything and go chase sunsets whenever we need a break, either.
So we at Bored Panda decided to brighten the week, at least visually. We put together a list of soothing pictures that show just how diverse and beautiful our world really is.
From lush forests to frozen lakes and rocky valleys, here’s a quick reminder that there are plenty of things on Earth worth appreciating. Including the ones around you.
#1 A Deer
Image source: natefriesen
#2 A Path Through The Woods
Image source: Gainsborough-Smythe
“As with other dimensions of everyday experience, what we find aesthetically pleasing is not random but stems from our evolutionary history,” says Eric Haseltine, Ph.D., a neuroscientist and the author of Long Fuse, Big Bang.
“Just as our innate preference for sweet, calorie-rich food helped our ancestors survive in environments where food was scarce, our preferences for certain visual stimuli reflect the survival imperatives that confronted our ancestors.”
#3 My First Whale Encounter
Image source: dallyaway
#4 A Wave During King Tide
Image source: ChickenFriedLife
#5 First Light
Image source: Practical_Box_5487
Consider toxic substances, such as those in rotting meat or tainted water. Although our noses are the primary defenders against such threats, our eyes also play a role.
“Rotting meat, moldy bread, and dirty water usually have a distinct, ‘ugly’ look,” says Haseltine. “According to ecological valence theory, we generally prefer colors, such as green, that are associated with non-toxic substances and dislike those, such as brown, that are associated with objectionable substances.”
“Similarly, color combinations that occur in welcoming environments—such as sky blue and light brown tree bark in forests—‘match,’ whereas color combinations that do not occur naturally, ‘clash,’” the neuroscientist adds.
#6 Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan
Image source: BeardOfThorburn
#7 View From My Window In Florence, Tuscany
Image source: ardoedo95
#8 A Tusker Elephant And Mount Kilimanjaro
I’m a wildlife photographer, and this was truly one of my dream shots. After spending hours in the field, I finally captured a single elephant perfectly aligned with Mount Kilimanjaro in the background. But beyond the photo itself, Amboseli left me in awe—the vast landscapes, the freedom of the roaming tuskers, and the sheer beauty of it all. It feels like heaven on earth, and I believe it stands as a powerful example of how conservation should be embraced worldwide. It was taken from a safari vehicle in Amboseli National Park, Kenya in June 2025.
Image source: dalkilic_life
#9 My Best Boy Watching Beautifully Backlit Highland Cows During A Stunning Sunset
Image source: Wimair
It makes sense that visual signals of toxins repel us and that signs of health attract us, but why do we like ocean views and sweeping vistas of mountains and forests?
“From a survival standpoint, oceans are an abundant source of food and are often fed by rivers of fresh water. Bodies of water also offer unrestricted sightlines, preventing nasty surprises, according to the ‘Refuge theory’ of environmental preference,” Haseltine explains.
“The Savanah and Park theories of environmental preference echo the advantages of wide-open spaces for predator avoidance on the one hand, and for visibility of food on the other, especially when such spaces are rich in green vegetation, signifying abundant food and water.”
#10 A Cat Between A Mattress And A Blanket
Image source: Middle_Yak1544
#11 The Moment A Bird Landed On The Water
Image source: ucalay
#12 Switzerland
Image source: ghatroad
#13 Spring Time In My Hometown In Greece
Image source: Akitogi
As you can see from the pictures, even cities can feel calming. Just not all, of course.
Imagine two urban environments. One is dense, noisy, and dominated by concrete, traffic, signage, and visual clutter, with very little greenery. The other has open skies, abundant vegetation, a river, and a more spacious, harmonious layout.
According to the principle of biophilia (our attraction to nature), people prefer to live and work in the second environment.
But Haseltine claims the appeal of the second setting goes beyond vegetation and open sky. That’s because the first environment feels cluttered and cacophonous, while the second feels open and coherent, with scenic elements and color combinations commonly found in nature.
#14 Frozen Lake In Front Of A Mountain
On a freezing morning in Uummannaq – third attempt taking this image, didn‘t work out before, since everything was covered in snow. The gale force winds that kept me stuck on the island were kind enough to blow the snow off the frozen lake and reveal the awesome patterns underneath, creating the depth I was looking for.
Image source: hla-photography
#15 A Deer
Image source: Weary_Debt_585
#16 Antelope Canyon
Image source: Choshington
Instead of an environment that feels cluttered and cacophonous, we want something that’s open and coherent, preferably with scenic elements and color combinations commonly found in nature. Visually, it feels more restful. And the term “restful” is important because it corresponds to a lower cognitive workload: we spend less time and energy filtering important information from distractions.
Cognitive psychologists describe this ease of processing as “perceptual fluency.” People generally prefer environments with high perceptual fluency—simpler, more coherent settings—over environments that are visually complex and mentally taxing.
#17 Volcan De Fuego, Guatemala
Image source: Dylan_Landro
#18 1 Week In Socotra, Yemen. This Place Has Been On The Top Of My Bucket List For Over 15 Years. I Was Fortunate To Make The Dream A Reality
Image source: mango315
#19 The View From My School’s Football Field
Image source: xeglmaster
#20 Didn’t Expect To See This View When I Turned The Corner In The Swiss Alps
Image source: Dismal_Chemist_6650
Yes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but “Humans are, above all, visual animals: animals that evolved in primordial environments that shape who we are today,” Haseltine says. And thinking about why we like to look at certain things helps us understand where we live, the value of our house, the clothes we wear, and so on.
However, if you want to go further, check out these 30 Breathtaking Images That Offer A Glimpse Into The Mysteries Of The Universe.
#21 Seagulls In A Blizzard
Image source: glorious70mm
#22 One Of The Most Magical Sunrises Of My Life. Moraine Lake (Bc, Canada)
Image source: jayyyzuz
#23 Decided To Take A Walk To Clear My Head, And I’m Really Glad I Did
Image source: reddit.com
#24 A Plane Transiting A Waxing Crescent Moon At Sunset
Image source: akbgcak869
#25 The Tree On My Way To Work, I Don’t Know The Name, But It’s Beautiful
Image source: deleted
#26 Taranaki, New Zealand
Image source: Kotryna Juskaite
#27 Colombia Is More Than Just Medellin And Cartagena
Image source: Arcasolution6832
#28 White Sands National Park
Image source: deleted
#29 Stopped For Coffee During My Road Trip Througs – This Was The View At Brunig Pass
Image source: voyantchess
#30 Sunflower Field
Image source: davajdavaj21
#31 Turquoise Wave
Image source: flappytowel
#32 Valley Of Fire State Park, Nevada
Image source: TheLostCrusader
#33 Myanmar Temples
Image source: TheLostCrusader
#34 It Has Been A Month Since My Solo Trip To Iceland And I’m Already Missing It
Image source: djigoio
#35 Morning View From My Bedroom Window
Image source: PerseMeeks
#36 MT Hood’s Shadow
Image source: AlwaysLocal
#37 A Whale Tail Flups Out Of The Water
Image source: A Chosen Soul
#38 Silver Falls Oregon
Image source: 2pale4tx
#39 Phi Phi Islands, Thailand
Image source: Zoldic_h
#40 Petra, Jordan. Still Pinch Myself Thinking I’ve Been Able To Visit This Place. Absolutely Stunning
Image source: IrishTravelAddict
#41 The Flatiron Building
Image source: canerozkan
#42 The Sky
Image source: christylx
#43 A Boat
Image source: Bansman
#44 Sunrays Come Through The Trees. On A Foggy Morning In Auturm, In A Forest In Upper Austria, Europe
Image source: uta_scholl
#45 Herd Of Horses Running
Image source: Tahir osman
#46 Alpine Ibex With Majestic Horns In Mountains
Image source: ARNAUD VIGNE
#47 Lofoten, Norway
Image source: Metal_Liam
#48 Finland In Winter
Image source: an2lal2
#49 Snow Monkeys In Japan
Image source: burgerwithoutmayo
#50 Visiting From The UK (Nova Scotia To Quebec)
Image source: -Azwethinkweiz-
#51 Autumn In The Canadian West Kootanys
Image source: GMI_D
#52 Let It Rain. Let It Rain. Let It Rain
Image source: BeatenPathCo
#53 Took This With My Phone Through My Windshield While Stopped At A Light
Image source: SuperCub
#54 Sunset Is Appropriately Orange In The Netherlands. View From My Window 21/07/2025
Image source: nemandzax
#55 My Dog Enjoying The View
Image source: SavageSausage1
#56 My Daughter Praises The Sunlight
Image source: missladycorpse
#57 Seedless Watermelon That Is Very Seedless
Image source: TuxedoFloorca
#58 Sedona, AZ, USA. Beautiful Hike That Takes You To The “Subway” Cave
Image source: Karsha_chan
#59 Volatile
Image source: InfaniteAgony
#60 Insane View From My Gym
Image source: Lost_Toenail
#61 This Majestic Goat We Found In Hawaii
Image source: StonerCPA
#62 A Deer Sitting On The Ground In The Forest
Image source: Hasan Kibar
#63 This Bee That Flew Into My View At The Perfect Time! Hogback Overlook On Skyline Drive, Shenandoah
Image source: cassini2019
#64 View From My Grandmother’s House
Image source: reddit.com
#65 A Plane Crossing The Moon
Image source: awaismustafa1986
#66 The Clouds And The Sun Rays Yesterday Were Absolutely Stunning
Image source: photo_inbloom
#67 A Gate At A Balinese Temple
Image source: TopdeBotton
#68 Ginnie Springs, Florida
Image source: ConfusedBoi2k
#69 Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan
Image source: BeardOfThorburn, BeardOfThorburn
#70 Nubia, Sicilia
Image source: idrossidodisodio
#71 Eye Of A Goose
Image source: BornLoss4467
#72 Lamp
Image source: lm_photos
#73 From Indonesia
Image source: hfaizan17
#74 Burnt Matches
Image source: witenry
#75 Whale Shark And Tourists
Image source: postandfly
#76 View Of The Delaware River And Trenton, NJ From Pennsylvania
Image source: frostedflakesblue
#77 My Parents In Rio Portrait
Image source: MrAnnoyingCookie
#78 Tracks On An Iron Bridge
Image source: Jayesh Jagtap
#79 Xiwei Reservoir, Zoucheng, Shandong, China
Image source: AmbroseLune
#80 Traffic In Los Angeles With A View
Image source: meowsabbers
#81 Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan
Image source: BeardOfThorburn
#82 Massey Ferguson Harvesters, Aerial Drone Footage, Le Mans, Sarthe, France
Image source: ookpik
#83 Some Shipping Containers
Image source: pearcechris
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