We celebrate the beauty and wonder of the natural world today and remember, as the most intelligent* species on this planet, our duty to observe and protect it. This year's theme: "Our Power, Our Planet"

According to the United Nations Education, Science, and Cultural Organization, today is the day to remember humanity's long history of reading and the authors who show us worlds real and imagined to challenge the way we see ourselves and each other. It also marks the observation of William Shakespeare's birthday in 1564, although we don't have records of his actual day of birth.

According to the National Human Genome Research Institute, we commemorate two major years on this day. In 1953, Rosalind Franklin discovered the now-famous double helix structure of the DNA molecule. In 2003, scientists fully mapped the human genome; essentially, they made a complete list of which parts of which chromosomes contribute to which parts of our body. Be sure to remember all that this little structure does for us, as well as all of the doctors who have used this knowledge to contribute to our collective health!

Exact dates for this vary depending on where you live, but in most US states, this is where we remember the importance of trees to our physical and mental health. Make sure to check for local celebration days as well as activities such as sanctioned tree plantings!

Starting May Sixth, Black Hole Week is all about those enigmatic regions of space that seem to defy all logic, yet without which major structures such as galaxies may not exist.

On this day in 1925, the first planetarium was opened to the public in Munich, Germany to show the positions of stars and constellations. Since then, the dome-shaped theater has taken on multiple new experiences. Be sure to drop by yours to see what you can learn about the stars!

A day to celebrate the mighty clade Dinosauria, both their natural history and the myriads of scientists who discovered them and brought them to life. Also, a casual reminder that birds are dinosaurs, so we officially see one nearly every day.

Look, in the sky! It's a wave! It's a particle! It's hurtling towards us at nearly 300 million meters per second! Light is responsible for our heat, a massive part of how we perceive the world and communicate with each other. Remember the scientists today who brought so much of its properties to our attention as well as those who continue to use it in new technological ways to change the world!

The Endangered Species Coalition was created on this day in 2006 to bring attention to the wonderful animals and plants that are unfortunately close to extinction, many of which as a result of human activities, and what we can do to help save them and preserve them for future generations. Check your local zoos, museums, gardens, and wildlife shelters to see how you can help celebrate this day!

Ah, the mighty museum. A house of learning and a symbol of a community's dedication to culture and progress. Whether it be for art, science, or history, please show how much you appreciate yours by giving it a visit. You may have a thing or two yet to learn from it!

Throughout June, we take a moment to remember the LGBTQ community, their contributions to society, and the people who fought and often suffered for their rights. Science and art are subjects for everyone, and no path forward can be forged without all of us.

If you ever wanted to start a nature journal, now's the time to start! Follow naturejournalingweek.com to learn how to start yours and what challenges each day will help you find new ways to connect with the world around you.

In contrast to Earth Day, today is dedicated specifically to our oceans, home to 80% of all of the planet's species and the driving force behind our weather. While the last few centuries have introduced many major challenges for life in the seas (and, by extension, life everywhere), today is also a day to celebrate all the people who are working hard to save this unique environment as well as all of the incredible projects underway to undo humanity's damage.

Today, especially in the United States, is an important reminder that there is no way forward if any group is left behind. Today marks the day in 1865 when, after the brutality of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation was finally read aloud in Galveston, Texas: the last place in the States to learn that the war was over and that slavery was outlawed. People of color still had a long fight ahead of them in terms of true equity in America, but the ability to live on their own land and terms is not something to be ignored. Inequality in any form is worth fighting against.

The Earth's axis will tilt the North pole the closest to the sun for the year, officially starting summer in the northern hemisphere and winter in the south.

This started as a UK holiday in 2014 but has spread to the rest of the world thanks to UNESCO and the Women's Engineering Society. STEAM subjects help us all in their purest form, but education in these fields can still introduce severe environmental barriers, and, according to the WES' official website, women only comprise less than 17% of the total engineering workforce. Let's all do our part to make these important studies more open to all who want to change the world!

The counterpart to Pi Day, Tau represents the ratio of a circle's circumference to its radius instead of its diameter, giving us a value of 2π, or roughly 6.28318