Residents observe a police officer take up position during an operation at the Mare slums complex in Rio de Janeiro March 25, 2014. The federal troops have taken control of security operations in Mare slums complex to help quell a surge in violent crime following attacks by drug traffickers on police posts in three slums on the north side of the city, government officials said. (Photo by Ricardo Moraes/Reuters)

Throughout the course of the long war in Afghanistan, Coalition troops have relied on thousands of military working dogs to help keep them safe, and make their jobs easier. The dogs are trained to detect explosives, to find illegal drugs, to search for missing comrades, or target enemy combatants. Not only are they active on the front lines, but behind the lines they serve as therapy dogs, service dogs, and loyal companions. They also share the same risks as the ground troops, suffering injuries and sometimes death on the battlefields. Gathered here are images of these dogs and their handlers in Afghanistan and back home, from over the past several years, part of the ongoing series here on Afghanistan.

A fun notebook that I too wish I had when I was a kid. Play more more more, a finalist design at the European Design awards by Netherlands-based design studio Trapped in Suburbia, is an unique notepad aimed at encouraging “play” at work.

Honorable Mention: “The Storm”. During I was taking photo with my nephew, the storm came and I caught this beautiful moment. Photo location: Kocaeli, Turkey. (Photo and caption by Aytül Akbaş/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Sometimes i feel like photographers have uncovered a special secret. A crazy, amazing, and beautiful secret. The key to truly living. All i want is to be alive”. – Karrah Kobus

Photo: “All my life i lived in a bubble”. (Photo by Karrah Kobus)

The Bund Sightseeing Tunnel is not an adventure for the light hearted. The trippy visuals and sound effects are rather bizarre and creepy. They look like something out of a nightmare or a psychedelic trip. Maybe the creators of this project did experiment with some illicit drugs to gain inspiration for this project. Moreover, it is more likely than not that some people tried going to this tourist attraction after “preparing” themselves beforehand. This trippy tunnel stretches from Pudong to Puxi in Shanghai, China, and is rated as one of the top five tourist attractions. We recommend visiting this place; just don’t take your kids along for the ride, since it might prove to be too scary for them.

Fans bath in the mud during the “Woodstock Festival Poland” on August 3, 2017 in Kostrzyn Nad Odra, Poland. The annual 3 day music festival organised by The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, one of Polands most respected charities aims at spreading awareness about drugs and violence. Przystanek Woodstock in Poland is the largest Europe open air festival. (Photo by Music/Alamy Stock Photo)