Ada Carr

Spain's Tagus River is at risk of drying up completely due to drought and water transfer. The river is subject to a water management plan over a decade old that did not take Spain's droughts into consideration. The Tagus is also being used to supply water to the six million residents of Madrid. A combination of drought and inadequate water maintenance in Spain has pushed the Iberian Peninsula's longest river to the edge of completely drying up.

Pedestrians walk on an overpass amid heavy air pollution in Beijing on Dec. 18, 2016. (WANG ZHAO/AFP/Getty Images) The toxic smog that has continued to choke Beijing's air has contaminated the snow. The city's average air quality index has peaked at 470 over the past month. Snow days typically mean no school and plenty of snowman making; however, in Beijing, officials have warned residents to avoid the snow at all costs.

A smiley face appeared in a lava lake on Hawaii's Kilauea volcano. USGS geologists say the lake's happy appearance was caused by normal volcanic activity. When a volcano erupts, it’s not likely to put a smile on many people’s faces. However, a big glowing smiley face appeared in the crater of Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano after its recent eruption. The Kilauea volcano has continuously erupted since 1983 and is considered one of the most active volcanoes in the world, according to the USGS.