Elena Chernyshova's vision of Norilsk, Russia, the northernmost city in the world, is a series of surprises by which she extracts otherworldly beauty from ugly realities. Here: 2013. A woman is visible through a narrow passageway between two buildings. Norilsk's urban spaces were designed to shorten distances around large developments and give residents maximum protection from arctic winds. (Photo by Elena Chernyshova)
A copper plated Oscar statuette is run through a series of chemical baths at Epner Technology in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Tuesday, January 17, 2017. Every Oscar fist-pumped or tearfully cradled by Academy Award winners is first cast, buffed and fussed over by people far from Hollywood who have spent the last several months making 60 identical gold Oscars for the Feb. 26th awards. (Photo by Seth Wenig/AP Photo)
These beautiful shots may look like works of modern art – but they are actually close-ups of chemical reactions. The works were snapped with the help of a group of scientists from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in Anhui, China. Here: Zinc reacting with lead nitrate in a soft gel to form lead crystals. (Photo by Yan Liang/Caters News)
Men carrying a shrine jump over a bon fire, which means a wish for good luck during a traditional Chinese lunar new year celebration in Jieyang, Guangdong province, China, February 2, 2017. (Photo by Reuters/China Daily)
An anti-government protester wearing a Guy Fawkes mask stands with a shield near flames from molotov cocktails thrown at a water cannon by anti-government protesters during riots in Caracas in this April 20, 2014 file photo. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)
A pilot inflates a hot air balloon while taking part in the 38th International Balloon Festival of Chateau-d'oex, Switzerland, 23 January 2016. The festival takes place from 23 to 31 January. (Photo by Vincent Vannay/EPA)
This aerial photo taken on March 2, 2023 shows bulldozers working to build high-standard farmlands in Pucheng County, southeast China's Fujian Province. A new round of high-standard farmlands building is underway in Pucheng County in preparation of spring ploughing. (Photo by Xinhua News Agency/Rex Features/Shutterstock)