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)

German car manufacturer BMW presents the “Vision Next 100” concept car during the 100th anniversary celebrations in Munich, Germany, Monday, March 7, 2016. (Photo by Matthias Schrader/AP Photo)

Belarusian police officers detain an opposition supporter during a rally to protest against the disputed August 9 presidential elections results in Minsk on September 6, 2020. Tens of thousands of Belarusians staged a peaceful new march on September 6, keeping the pressure on strongman Alexander Lukashenko who has refused to quit after his disputed re-election and turned to Russia for help to stay in power. (Photo by TUT.BY/AFP Photo)

A group of prospective police recruits, ready to be enrolled in the M23 controlled force, salute in the courtyard of a police station in Goma on February 6, 2025. More than a week after the battle for the North Kivu provincial capital, the M23 on Wednesday appointed people to public positions. Goma now has two officials for many public posts – two mayors, two governors – which locals said has created confusion. The M23 administration is still in its embryonic stages and struggling to respond to daily problems in the war-wounded city. (Photo by Michel Lunanga/AFP Photo)

A model wears a creation for the Rick Owens ready-to-wear Spring/Summer 2023 fashion collection presented Thursday, September 29, 2022 in Paris. (Photo by Francois Mori/AP Photo)

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Miss Italia 2008 Miriam Leone appear on “Porta a Porta” in Rome, Italy on September 15, 2008. (Photo by WENN)

A woman drinks at a bars area in Clapham, after the reopening of commercial activities following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London, Britain, July 4, 2020. (Photo by Hannah McKay/Reuters)

A man rides past a destroyed tank in Mesobit, Ethiopia, on December 06, 2021. (Photo by Amanuel Sileshi/AFP Photo)