Lightning streaks across the skies over the coastal port city of Batroun, some 43km north of the Lebanese capital Beirut on December 6, 2023. (Photo by Ibrahim Chalhoub/AFP Photo)

Mount Sinabung releasing volcanic ash, on February 04, 2017 Karo, North Sumatra, Indonesia. (Photo by Albert Damanik/Barcroft Images)

The Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) is seen over the sky near the village of Pallas (Muonio region) of Lapland, Finland September 8, 2017. (Photo by Alexander Kuznetsov/Reuters)

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and these striking images of 2017 are no exception. The photo highlights include incredible snapshots of the natural world as well as some awesome animal and human encounters. The vibrant gallery also shows thrill-seekers pushing themselves to the limit with breathtaking stunts captured in perfect clarity. The pictures have been taken by a host of photographers from around the world. Here: The two lion cubs singing their hearts out at Antelope park in Zimbabwe. (Photo by David Jenkins/Caters News Agency)

Tourists standing near the sea shore are hit by a wave, which surged past a barrier under the influence of Typhoon Chan-hom, in Qingdao, Shandong province, China, July 12, 2015. One of the most powerful typhoons to strike eastern China in decades disrupted air, rail and sea transport on Saturday after forcing the evacuation of more than a million people from the provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu, state media reported. (Photo by Reuters/Stringer)

A huge supercell dominates the Texas skyline like an atomic bomb explosion on April 11, 2015 in Lubbock, Texas. A huge supercell dominates the Texas skyline like an atomic bomb explosion. These incredible images were taken on April 11th, by photographer Darin Kuntz who has spent in his entire life in so-called Tornado Alley. And Darin confirmed that he snapped the storm standing in his backyard in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by Darin Kuntz/Barcroft Media)

The sunrise over the beach huts at Hamworthy Park in Poole, Dorset, United Kingdom on April 28, 2022. (Photo by Rachel Baker/Bournemouth News)

17-year-old dance student Amelia Hubbard of Halesowen, West Midlands, takes to the park in south Birmingham, United Kingdom on April 14, 2022 to do some spring moves, as temperatures soar in the UK on Good Friday.(Photo by Peter Lopeman/Alamy Live News)