First place, The Beauty of Plants. “There are many stages of lotus growth on display at the Aquatic Gardens, but to come across twotwisted dancing stems of nelumbo nucifera was unexpected and quite magical”. (Photo by Kathleen Furey/The Guardian)

This strange coral-looking specimen is actually a mushroom. The photo, “Beautiful Destroyer”, was taken in the Panamanian tropical rainforest where the mushroom produces nitrogen, an element vital to soil health. (Photo by Sarah A. Batterman)

“Kids of Sapa”. Four little beautiful Hmong girls from Lao Chai Village, near Sapa, Vietnam. (Photo and caption by Felipe Hanower/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)

“Falling Back To Earth” promises to be both spectacular and meditative, and presents a beautiful, thought-provoking vision of our relationship with the earth and with each other. (Photo by Dave Hunt/EPA)

Portrait beautiful woman on the beach, Landing aircraft above the beach at Phuket Airport. Mai Khao beach, one of the most popular beaches among tourists in Phuket. (Photo by Southtownboy/Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Diana Silva, representing Distrito Capital state, is crowned the winner of the annual Miss Venezuela beauty pageant in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, November 17, 2022. (Photo by Matias Delacroix/AP Photo)

American socialite Kylie Jenner at the 2024 Met Gala: “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

A contestant walks the runway during 2017 Miss Great Britain competition at the Mayfair A-list venue DSTRKT on May 11, 2017 in London, England. The pageant hopefuls were battling it out to represent Miss Central London. Miss Great Britain is a female beauty pageant. It is the oldest pageant in the UK, established in 1945. Following World War Two, a number of seaside resorts around the country introduced beauty contests as attractions. (Photo by Jules Annan/Barcroft Images)