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)

The stern of the stranded cargo vessel Rena grounded on the Astrolabe Reef is seen on October 20, 2011 in Tauranga, New Zealand. Salvage crews continue to pump oil off the ship in an effort to remove as much as possible before bad weather predicted for the evening threatens to break the vessel and release more oil into the sea. Over 300 tonnes of oil has leaked from Rena since it hit the reef on October 5. (Photo by New Zealand Defence Force via Getty Images)

Brazilian model Izabel Goulart for the screening of the film “Sink Or Swim (Le Grand Bain)” at the 71st Cannes Film Festival, France on May 13, 2018. (Photo by Stephane Mahe/Reuters)

Jorge (2nd R), 31, who is among members of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and his brother Paulo, 28, (R) laugh at Arouche Square in downtown Sao Paulo, Brazil, November 20, 2016. (Photo by Nacho Doce/Reuters)

An Israeli tank moves into position in the Israeli controlled Golan Heights during fighting between forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad and rebels in the Druze village of Khader in Syria, Tuesday, June 16, 2015. As many as 20 members of the Druze minority sect were killed last week, the deadliest violence against the Druze since Syria's conflict started in March 2011, sparking fears of a massacre against the sect. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

European Space Agency astronaut Tim Peake will return home after a six-month long mission on the International Space Station,on June 18, 2016. Peake was the first British ESA astronaut to visit the ISS and captured hundreds of photographs of the Earth during his mission. Here: “Lots of sun-glint right now during our whole orbit – we haven't seen a sunset for over 3 days”, he wrote. (Photo by Tim Peake/ESA/NASA)

The Photographers 2015 runs from 25 November to 23 December at Osborne Samuel and Beetles+Huxley, London. Here: Untitled, 1950, by Bert Hardy. (Photo by Bert Hardy/Beetles+Huxley & Osborne Samuel)

Do you ever get the irresistible urge to light matches on fire, especially if there are many of them in one place? If you do, you shouldn’t come near the giant globe made by an American artist Andy Yoder. The thing is, this 42” globe is made entirely out of matches on the outside, while the center was made using plywood, foam, and cardboard. It took Andy two years to complete his work, finally finishing in 2014. Each of the matches used was hand-painted and then glued in place. Also, in order to prevent his masterpiece from catching fire, Andy Yoder has doused his work with a flame repellant.