Brazilian Christians pray before a mass baptism, a lizard sculpture eyes chefs at the Culinary Olympics, and more in our weekly update of culture photos.

Archaeologists in Peru have discovered two religious temples more than 3,000 years old, the remains of which are still in excellent condition.

From "eclectic" medieval towns in Belgium to McMansions encroaching on Civil War sites in Virginia, a new annual survey ranks the most authentic--and most imperiled--historic places.

Archaeologists in Rome have discovered what's believed to be the tomb of a wealthy man on whom the main character of the movie "Gladiator" was based.

A mining boom in Mongolia is threatening to destroy the country's essential watersheds and is forcing nomadic herders to abandon their land and traditional way of life, environmentalists warn.

Boxed penguins, blazes in L.A., a ball of "lightning," and a big shipwreck are captured in some of the week's best news photos.

A surge in development has taken its toll on Abydos, a sacred destination for ancient pilgrims. But plans are underway to renovate the threatened archaeological site.

With hundreds of wheels attached to it, a cathedral in China is being rotated, as if on a turntable, to make way for a new road.

Believing dogs have easy pregnancies and births, pregnant Japanese women pray at shrines on the Day of the Dog in hopes of having "canine" birth experiences.

Hundreds of fruit species flourish in the Amazon region, but relatively few--like antioxidant-rich acai, a wild palm fruit --ever reach international markets. Experts say fruits are a vital part of the Amazon's wealth and may provide important alternatives to timber.

An African park infamous for gorilla murders is reeling from fresh rebel attacks captured in a harrowing video. The fighting threatens the Congo park's 72 mountain gorillas.

A family in India chooses to opt out of surgery to correct a congenital condition known as syndactyly, in which one or more digits are fused together.

In Ethiopia farmers are being taught how to use livestock dung as a renewable energy source to create gas for cooking.

African pirates threatened Friday to blow up the arms-laden Ukrainian ship they've hijacked--the latest salvo in a crisis that's boosting shipping costs and cutting off aid to millions of Somalis.

The Western Wall, the Queen Elizabeth 2, Iceland's financial meltdown, and more are featured in our picks of the week's news photos.