A former Gurkha (special forces soldier), Nirmal Purja, takes a selfie at the start of his attempt to scale the world’s 14 highest peaks in seven months to break a 31-year-old record. Nirmal Purja, known as Nims, aims to smash the current record – which stands at seven years, 11 months and 14 days – set by Polish climber Jerzy Kukuczka. On the way, he also plans to defeat at least seven speed world records on mountains over 8,000m high. (Photo by Nirmal Purja/PA Wire Press Association)

Belarussians in costumes sing songs during the traditional rite of Shchadrets (Schedry vecher or Generous Eve) in the village of Osovo, some 190 km from Minsk, Belarus, 13 January 2015. Shchadrets is a Belarusian folk holiday celebrated on the New Year's Eve in accordance with the Julian calendar (Old New Year). The holiday is similar to Koliady, when youth in costumes walk from house to house singing holiday songs, performing, and asking for a reward afterwards. (Photo by Tatyana Zenkovich/EPA)

Seven-year-old Dihan Awallidan from Garut, West Java, is not like other boys his age. While most children crave chocolate and candy, Dihan is addicted to cigarettes. The second-grader picked up the habit at the age of 3 and now smokes up to three packs a day, using the pocket money he gets from his enabling parents to feed his addiction. (Photo by Rezza Estily/JG Photo)

A player breaks with the bottle during the bottle-kicking game in Hallaton, central England April 6, 2015. The game is played between Hallaton and the neighbouring village of Medbourne each Easter Monday in which participants compete to bring the bottle across a stream that separates the villages. The bottle is an old field barrel holding about a gallon of beer. (Photo by Darren Staples/Reuters)

Evan Leversage, who is terminally ill with brain cancer, is greeted by a Christmas decorated dog with his mother Nicole Wellwood (L), and his father Travis Leversage (2nd R) in St. George, Ontario, Canada October 24, 2015. Evan Leversage is a seven-year-old boy who has been living with inoperable brain cancer since he was two years old. His family has organized a Christmas celebration in October complete with a full parade, in case Evan does not live to celebrate his last Christmas day on the traditional date of December 25, according to local media. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Reuters)

Coloured X-ray of a barn owl. A physicist has used X-ray to create an extraordinary collection of artwork. Arie van't Riets pictures reveal birds, fish, monkeys and flowers in an incredible new light. The 66-year-old, from Bathmen in the Netherlands, began X-raying flowers as a means to teach radiographers and physicians how the machine worked. But after adding a bit of colour to the pictures, the retired medical physicist realised the potential for an exciting new collection of art. (Photo by Arie van't Riet/Barcroft Media)

These unique photos capture the moment a boy has his teeth picked clean by amazing underwater shrimp. These fascinating creatures spend their lives diving inside the mouths of fish to remove the parasites that lurk there. Russell Laman imitated the behaviour of the surrounding fish swarm to entice the cleaner shrimp into his mouth whilst snorkelling with his father Tim Laman in Bali, Indonesia. The 13-year-old queued with the waiting fish and then opened his mouth when the shrimps came near. (Photo by Tim Laman/Caters News)

A one month old Turquoise colored Green Veiled Chameleon perches on a finger in the Cardin's Chameleons boothat Repticon 2014 Sunday, August 3, 2014 in Jacksonville, Fla. The vendor specializes in captive bred and born Veiled Chameleons and this particular specimen cost $40.00. The Repticon reptile and Exotic Animal show made its stop in Jacksonville over Saturday and Sunday offering a variety of cold blooded critters and related supplies for sale at the University Center on the University of North Florida campus. The show, which travels nationally stops in Jacksonville several times a year according to event vendor team leader Patty Healey. (Photo by Bob Self/AP Photo/The Florida Times-Union)