“Strike Through The Mothership”. Every May for the last 3 years I have driven down to Tornado Alley to capture some amazing storms. This supercell held so much promise to drop a tornado but one small shift in the atmosphere and all that it produced was an extreme lightning show. Photo location: Broken Bow, Nebraska. (Photo and caption by Vanessa Neufeld/National Geographic Photo Contest)

Bao Bao the panda, one of the National Zoological Park’s cutest inhabitants in Washington, D.C., recently celebrated her first birthday on August 23rd. As part of the celebration, Bao Bao got her very own cake. The large tiered cake showcased a big number 1.

A Salvadorean clown going by the name of “Almohadita” poses during National Clown Day celebrations at Beethoven Square in San Salvador December 3, 2014. The Salvadorean congress declared the second Wednesday of December as National Clown Day to honour all Salvadorean clowns in their efforts to bring fun to the country, reported local media. (Photo by Jose Cabezas/Reuters)

English Lop Eared Rabbits on the judging table on January 28, 2012 in Harrogate, England. Approximately 3,000 animals attend the annual show, which runs over two days and was first held in 1921. The Rabbit Grand National, attracts competitors from as far afield as Sweden to Yorkshire. (Photo by Bethany Clarke/Getty Images)

Racegoers during Ladies Day at the Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse on April 13, 2018 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Mercury Press)

“Catch of the Decade”. Can you guess what happened next? Photo location: Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA. (Photo and caption by Aaron Baggenstos/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Sunward”. When the Mediterrenean Mantis opened its wings, It seemed very impressive at the sunshine... Photo location: Nicosia, Cyprus. (Photo and caption by Hasan Baglar/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“7584 Fish”. On a windy day right after a Cyclone passed the far northern Great Barrier Reef i took some friends out to the reef. Never before i saw that many glass fish on this particular coral “bommie”. Just when i setup my camera, this Napoleon Wrasse swam right through the school of fish building a living frame. Photo location: Cairns, Great Barrier Reef, Flynn Reef, Australia. (Photo and caption by Christian Miller/National Geographic Photo Contest)