Bikini-clad women sit as they operate a 3.6 metre-high custom-made female robot at the “Robot Restaurant” in Kabukicho, one of Tokyo's best known red light districts, August 15, 2012. (Photo by Tokyo Scum Brigade)

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)

Two sculputures at the waterfront in Marseille – Ever feel like youve forgotten something? No its not a mind trick – these are the amazing photos of sculptures done by a French artist. The sculptures are the work of Bruno Catalano and might look like theyre missing vital organs but the invisible bodies represent a world citizen according to their creator. (Photo by Caters News Agency)

“Valentine Shmalentine”, 2011. (Photo by GillyFace)

Woman on phone in hotel room. (Photo by DreamPictures/Getty Images)

A small flock of birds seems to be giving an escort to an airliner on final approach to Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia on January 12, 2022. The scene took place over Gravelly Point which is an area within the National Park Service's George Washington Memorial Parkway. (Photo by Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post)

“Still” also known as the “Mirror Man”, created by artist Rob Mulholland which symbolises the physical and spiritual relationship between humans and the natural world, has returned to Loch Earn in St. Fillans on May 9, 2025 after being removed in 2017 due to storm damage. (Photo by Lesley Martin)

A retired man (L) looks toward two girls wearing miniskirts, July 13, 1969 in Nice, France. (Photo by AFP Photo)