They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and these striking images of 2017 are no exception. The photo highlights include incredible snapshots of the natural world as well as some awesome animal and human encounters. The vibrant gallery also shows thrill-seekers pushing themselves to the limit with breathtaking stunts captured in perfect clarity. The pictures have been taken by a host of photographers from around the world. Here: The two lion cubs singing their hearts out at Antelope park in Zimbabwe. (Photo by David Jenkins/Caters News Agency)

A tourist struggles in the water, before standing up and wading away, after a wave strengthened by the influence of Typhoon Dujuan hit a river bank in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province September 29, 2015. (Photo by Reuters/China Daily)

Mangrove in Walakiri Beach after Sunset in East Sumba, Indonesia in 2018. (Photo by Sarubabel Malau/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

17-year-old dance student Amelia Hubbard of Halesowen, West Midlands, takes to the park in south Birmingham, United Kingdom on April 14, 2022 to do some spring moves, as temperatures soar in the UK on Good Friday.(Photo by Peter Lopeman/Alamy Live News)

Waxwings in Balham south London on December 31, 2023. There has been a huge influx of this erruptive species this year. This probably due to severe storms and a shortage of food in their native Scandinavia in the Autumn. (Photo by Jack Hill/The Times)

An aerial view shows a sinkhole 3.5 km (2 miles) to the east of Solikamsk-2 mine in Perm region, November 20, 2014. Shares in Russia's Uralkali, the world's top potash producer, fell sharply for a second day on Wednesday after a mine accident that could reduce global supplies and push up prices of the crop nutrient worldwide. Uralkali shares have fallen 28 percent since Tuesday when it suspended work at its Solikamsk-2 mine, which accounts for a fifth of the company's output and 3.5 percent of global capacity, following an inflow of water. A sinkhole, stretching 30 by 40 metres (yards), found at an abandoned mine 3.5 km (2 miles) to the east, increased concern about the future of the mine because an inflow of water and the resulting sinkhole in 2006 forced another Uralkali operation to shut permanently. (Photo by Reuters/Press service of Uralkali company)

“RoboCup is an international robotics competition founded in 1997. The aim is to develop autonomous soccer robots with the intention of promoting research and education in the field of artificial intelligence. The name RoboCup is a contraction of the competition's full name, «Robot Soccer World Cup», but there are many other stages of the competition such as «Search and Rescue» and «Robot Dancing»”. – Wikipedia

Photo: Humanoid robots of the children size league compete during the RoboCup 2006 football world championships final at the Congress Centre on June 18, 2006 in Bremen, Germany. (Photo by Malte Christians/Bongarts/Getty Images)

This picture taken on December 31, 2017 shows an Indian sadhu preparing food at a camp at Sangam, ahead of the Magh Mela festival, in Allahabad. The Magh Mela, which is known as a mini-Kumbh Mela, is scheduled to start January 2 and continue until February 13 with auspicious bathing dates throughout the 45 day period. (Photo by Sanjay Kanojia/AFP Photo)