American Fork High School's Haven Empey poses for photos on Wednesday, November 13, 2019, after being named Ms. Soccer 2019 by the Deseret News in Utah, US. (Photo by Scott G. Winterton/Deseret News)

Two male African mantis Pseudempusa pinnapavonis (Peacock Mantis) show their colours in Igor's home studio in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Igor Siwanowicz/Barcroft Media)

A devoteetakes a holy dip in the River Ganges on Ganga Dussehra festival in Prayagraj, India, Tuesday, May 30, 2023. Hindus across the country celebrate Ganga Dussehra by worshiping the River Ganges, which is considered as the most sacred and the holiest river. (Photo by Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP Photo)

In this picture taken on August 1, 2022, a priest performs a ritual on a newly purchased car to seek blessings from the deities for safety outside a temple in Bangalore. (Photo by Sebastien Berger/AFP Photo)

Singapore's Wie Qi Katelin Heng competes in the individual all-around qualification round during the 39th FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships at the Arena Armeets in Sofia (Arena Armeec hall) on September 14, 2022. (Photo by Nikolay Doychinov/AFP Photo)

(L-R) Pieter Van Lankveld, Jay Schippers, Ynze Oegema, Justin Kimmann, Teun Kivit and Twan Van Gendt compete during the Dutch National BMX Championships at Olympic Training Centre Papendal on October 11, 2020 in Arnhem, Netherlands. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

Urte Baikstyte, of Lithuania, fails an attempt in the Women High Jump qualification at the European Athletics Indoor Championships at Atakoy Arena in Istanbul, Turkey, Thursday, March 2, 2023. (Photo by Khalil Hamra/AP Photo)

Merit: A Night at Deadvlei. The night before returning to Windhoek, we spent several hours at Deadveli. The moon was bright enough to illuminate the sand dunes in the distance, but the skies were still dark enough to clearly see the milky way and magellanic clouds. Deadveli means “dead marsh. The camelthorn trees are believed to be about 900 years old, but have not decomposed because the environment is so dry. (Photo and caption by Beth McCarley/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)