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)

David Bowie wears an eyepatch in red suit and guitar on blue background at Top Pop television studios in Holland while doing playback to his hit song Rebel Rebel in 1974. (Photo by Barry Schultz/Sunshine/REX Shutterstock)

Police in Stanley, the Falklands capital, had to temporarily close a road after a pair of sea lions picked an awkward spot to get frisky on Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Genti Cena Photography/Triangle)

Inbar Regev, an eight-year-old Israeli girl, holds her pet python while swimming in her backyard pool in Ge'a, southern Israel on October 7, 2020. (Photo by Amir Cohen/Reuters)

A model presents a creation from the Christian Siriano Spring/Summer 2022 collection during New York Fashion Week at Gotham Hall in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., September 7, 2021. (Photo by Andrew Kelly/Reuters)

Revellers make the most of Boxing Day in Liverpool city centre, United Kingdom on Sunday, December 26, 2021. Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated after Christmas Day, occurring on the second day of Christmastide. (Photo by London News Pictures)

Blake Perkins #16 of the Milwaukee Brewers gets dunked with Gatorade after the Brewers defeated the Boston Red Sox at American Family Field on April 22, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

Kaz Crossley and Laura Anderson seen attending ITV Palooza! at Royal Festival Hall on October 16, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Splash News and Pictures)