The National Geographic Photo Ark is a travelling exhibition of photographer Joel Sartore’s quest to create a photo archive of biodiversity around the world. So far, Sartore has captured studio portraits of more than 6,000 species – a number that he hopes to double. On 1 July, the ark will open at Melbourne zoo – the first time it has been exhibited in the southern hemisphere. More than 50 portraits will be on display, including many of Australian endangered animals being protected by programs at the zoo itself. These captions have been edited from text supplied by Melbourne zoo. Here: Barking owl. (Photo by Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark/The Guardian)

Ismail Mustafa, seen in 2007. “I was collecting mushrooms on the hill near here. I didn’t see the mine. There was a huge explosion. When I woke up I saw that both my legs were gone; I thought my life was over. My brother and another guy were with me. They made a stretcher from sticks and tied it together with clothing. It took two hours to get off the mountain. ‘My daughter has also been injured. She found a shell and brought it into the house and put it on the fire. She didn’t know what she was doing at the time – she was only three. She is blind and has lost an arm”. (Photo by Sean Sutton for the Mines Advisory Group/The Guardian)

Steve McCurry has been a photojournalist for over 30 years. He is the recipient of the Robert Capa Gold Medal, the National Press Photographers Award and four first prize awards in the World Press Photo contest. Photo: Afghanistan. (Photo by Steve McCurry)

Boya Latumahina, alter ego, Zippora Lux is a Design student studying at Central St Martins in London. She has created these space age cats by combining two of her favourite things, cats and telescopic photographs.

In the middle of the lobby of the Radisson SAS Hotel in Berlin stands a AquaDom standing 25 meters tall and is the largest cylindrical aquarium ever built. It’s filled with about 900,000 liters of seawater and has 2600 fish of 56 species.

The lightest material ever made has been produced by a team of scientists in China, a Chinese university announced.

Syrian artist Muhammad Ejleh has been spending his personal time while studying architectural design to work on his 3D drawings. Using only a sketchpad and pencils, the 20-year-old-student manages to make his characters and architecture pop out of the page.

Incredibeard is an Instagram showcasing a San Francisco beard-enthusiasts crazy designs. Isaiah Webb, dubbed Incredibeard, has taken his hirsute super-powers to the extreme by making them into some pretty crazy art. Check them all out.