Only the most intrepid urban explorers cross the tattered ruins of the old Iron Curtain to endure the excessive bureaucracy, military paranoia and freezing winds of the East to hunt for the ghosts of an empire. Rebecca Litchfield is one who couldn’t resist the haunting allure of the ruins of the Soviet Union.

Contestant of the Muslimah World 2013, Obabiyi Aishah Ajibola (C) of Nigeria, is reflected in a mirror checking her make-up while contestants wait for a grand final during the Muslimah World competition in Jakarta on September 18, 2013. (Photo by Adek Berry/AFP Photo)

Whether they are the hunter or the hunted, these camouflage animals show natures incredible ability to blend in with its surroundings. Pictured perfectly concealed against their natural environment, the stunning pictures show the amazing lengths some animals will go to to stay out of sight. Here: The camouflage mappet moth looks like a fall lead in Switzerland. (Photo by Thomas Marent/Caters News/Ardea)

The Greater Sage-Grouse is certainly a formidable-looking bird. Being the largest grouse in North America and having tail feathers, which look like giant spikes, make for a ferocious sight. These birds are well known for their complicated courtship rituals, in which the males perform a special “strutting display” to attract the females. Another distinct feature of the Greater Sage-Grouse is two large yellow throat sacs (gular sacs), which are inflated by the males during the courtship display. Unlike pelicans, whose gular sacs are used to store fish while hunting, the throat sacks of the Greater Sage-Grouse are merely for display.

Being able to look at this world in a different light is the main thing that distinguishes a true artist from a common person. We can clearly see that Lucas Levitan is a true artist despite the crude drawings that he makes. By hunting through thousands of photos that people post on Instagram, he finds the ones that might have a completely different, surprising, and comical theme. For example, a sensual photo of lady’s eyelashes is transformed into a scene in which a farmer is harvesting his crops. This is imagination at its finest, which is why the art works of Lucas Levitan are so interesting to look at. (Photo by Lucas Levitan)

New York-based visual artist and filmmaker Rä di Martino has taken a series of eerie and beautiful photos that capture scenes of abandoned Hollywood film sets. Martino spent over a year traveling throughout the desert towns of Morocco and Tunisia hunting down the old Star Wars sets, exploring these massive structures that stand almost like ancient ruins. “No More Stars” showcases the backdrop of Luke Skywalker's home on the fictional desert planet Tatooine. (Photo by Rä di Martino)

View at one of the sculptures by Swiss artist H.R. Giger during the opening of the Ars Electronica 2013 exhibition “HR Giger. The Art of Biomechanics” in Linz, Austria, 04 September 2013. (Photo by EPA/RUBRA)

Storm chaser Brad Mack from Buena Park California videotapes a rotating supercell storm west of Newcastle, Texas April 9, 2013. Many of the storms in Tornado Alley that were forecast to be severe this week were taken out by a cold front from Canada. Picture taken April 9, 2013. (Photo by Gene Blevins/Reuters)