Parked scooters and motorcycles in a line on January 13, 2012 in London, England. Statistics showed a 12% increase in scooter registration in 2011, with cost savings on petrol, parking and congestion charge (in London) believed to be the primary factor. (Photo by Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images)

Nine years ago, Tom Carter traveled from San Francisco to China, responding to a job posting that turned out to be a scam. He managed to find another job as a teacher, and saved enough money to embark on a 56,000 km trip through all of China's 33 provinces that lasted two years. Carrying a camera – just a a 4-megapixel point-and-shoot – Carter captured some amazing images of the widely varying landscape, people, and architecture across the nation. Photo: Buddhist pilgrim family from Sichuan. (Photo by Tom Carter via The Atlantic)

What do superheroes do when they’re not busy fighting bad guys and saving the world from destruction? Perhaps they’re drawing strength alone in the peace and quiet of the great outdoors. That’s the premise of French photographer Benoit Lapray‘s photo-manipulation series “The Quest for the Absolute.”

“Hi! My name is Seiji Mamiya. I hope my cat pictures would make you all happy!”

A giant hedgehog statue is spotted in London's Clapham Common after a survey reveals many Brits have never seen one in the wild. Naturalist Sir David Attenborough hopes to educate the masses about such creatures on his new show.

Lady Gaga arrives at Nevermind Nightclub on July 11, 2011 in Sydney, Australia. Lady Gaga fans gathered outside two Sydney nightclubs in hopes to catch a glimpse of the singer after she sent a cryptic tweet suggesting her she'd be stopping by the venues. (Photo by Marianna Massey/Getty Images)

A Hindu devotee bathes in the Shali River during the Swasthani Brata Katha festival, marked with auspicious bathing in water bodies hoping for a prosperous life and conjugal happiness, on the outskirts of Kathmandu on January 28, 2021. (Photo by Prakash Mathema/AFP Photo)

Life as tenant farmers in Kasungu, northern Malawi, can be a struggle for families trapped in poverty, who feel forced to rely on their children’s help, impacting schooling. Here: A tobacco field at a farm in Kasungu region, Malawi. Tobacco is the country’s most important export crop, with tobacco leaf from Malawi filling cigarettes found all over the world. Here: Tiyamike Phiri hopes to become a nurse because she wants to travel the country and help others. (Photo by David Levene/The Guardian)