“And the broad sea beyond, in calm or rage / Chainless alike, and teaching Liberty.”

Desert icon because the first link, even though it's the wrong sort of desert. I assume most of you can cope with the disparity.

Sand waves in the desert. (via)

Octopus nursery two miles deep in the ocean. (via)

Photographs of birds in UV. (via)

Subject quote from Written in Edinburgh, Arthur Henry Hallam (yes, the A.H.H. of the Tennyson's In Memorium).