Beautiful, strange and occasionally alarming pictures from the shortlist for this year’s Wellcome image awards – which celebrate the very best in science photography and imaging – from an x-ray of a bat to a micrograph of a kidney stone. The exhibition opens on 12 March at three science centres and the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester. Photo: Scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of an Arabidopsis thaliana flower, also commonly known as thale cress. Some of the anthers are open, revealing pollen grains ready for dispersal. Arabidopsis was the first plant to have its entire genome sequenced and is widely used as a model organism in molecular and plant biology. Horizontal width of image is 1200 microns. Magnification 100x. (Photo by Stefan Eberhard/Wellcome Images)

Protesting women shout slogans during a demonstration against sexual violence in front of the governor's mansion in San Juan, Puerto Rico on May 3, 2021. The demonstrators denounce the inaction and slowness of the state in implementing the executive order declaring a state of emergency against gender-based violence. (Photo by Ricardo Arduengo/AFP Photo)

A monkey tries to quenche its thirst from a water tap on a hot summer day in Prayagraj on May 20, 2023. (Photo by Sanjay Kanojia/AFP Photo)

Members of the Pentacle Drummers perform in front of a burning wicker man during the Beltain Celtic Fire Festival at Butser Ancient Farm, in Waterlooville, Hampshire on Saturday, April 29, 2023. (Photo by Andrew Matthews/PA Images via Getty Images)

Spanish MotoGP rider Joan Mir (R) of Team Suzuki Ecstar and other MotoGP racers ride mini electric motorcycles at a fan event at Twin Ring Motegi in Motegi, Japan, 17 October 2019. The event was held ahead of the MotoGP race of Japan's Motorcycling Grand Prix scheduled for 20 October 2019. (Photo by Toru Hanai/EPA/EFE)

Two F-15E Strike Eagles wait to receive fuel from a KC-135R Stratotanker during exercise Red Flag 15-1 on their way to Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Jauary 23, 2015. The F-15s are assigned to the 4th Fighter Wing. U.S. (Photo by Airman 1st Class Aaron J. Jenne/Reuters)

Christian people crowd a bush taxi on a road 55km north of Bangui as they are on their way to the capital where they expect to sell some products on the market on January 19, 2014. Fresh fighting broke out in the strife-torn Central African Republic on the eve of an announcement on Sunday of the candidates seeking to become the new interim president. Sectarian violence has gripped the landlocked country after a March 2013 coup launched by the mostly Muslim Seleka rebels, and the UN has warned that the bloodshed could turn into genocide. (Photo by Eric Feferberg/AFP Photo)

These men are chased by the defiant elephants on May 4, 2013. Taken by Biplab Hazra in Bishnupur, India, the images show the extreme lengths the inhabitants of the town go to to deter elephants from damaging their crops and property. Elephants encroaching out of their habitats is an increasingly common occurrence with deforestation in much of India. (Photo by Biplab Hazra/Caters News Agency)