Soap Bubble Structures by Kym Cox. Bubbles optimise space and minimise their surface area for a given volume of air. This phenomenon makes them a useful tool in many areas of research, in particular, materials science and “packing” – how things fit together. Bubble walls drain under gravity, thin at the top, thick at the bottom, which interferes with travelling lightwaves to create bands of colour. Black spots show the wall is too thin for interference colours, indicating the bubble is about to burst. (Photo by Kym Cox/2019 Science Photographer of the Year/RPS)

Riders pray before competing at a rodeo event in Monte Negro, south of the Amazon basin, Rondonia state, Brazil on August 30, 2019. In recent years, Monte Negro has expanded as a key cattle town with a strong cowboy culture. (Photo by Carl De Souza/AFP Photo)

A regional train passes fog-covered fields in Wehrheim near Frankfurt, Germany, early Friday, October 7, 2022. (Photo by Michael Probst/AP Photo)

“A skydiver has made history by smashing the world record for the highest skydive after leaping from 128,097ft (39,044m). Daredevil Felix Baumgartner ascended to the edge of space in a pressurised capsule suspended beneath a giant helium balloon. He then jumped out, freefalling for four minutes and 19 seconds before opening his parachute”.

Photo: Baumgartner celebrates after successfully completing the jump. (Photo by Balazs Gardi/Red Bull Stratos)

Participants dressed as Santa Claus gather shortly before the 4th annual Michendorf Santa Run (Michendorfer Nikolauslauf) on December 9, 2012 in Michendorf, Germany. Over 800 people took part in this year's races that included children's and adults' races. (Photo by Sean Gallup)

An Orangutan named “Pacquiao” and zoo owner Manny Tangco, wearing Santa costumes, embrace in front of Brown Philippine Deer while giving school children a tour ahead of the next week's Christmas celebration Thursday, December 18, 2014 in suburban Malabon city, north of Manila, Philippines. The yearly treat is aimed at encouraging residents to be sensitive to the feelings of animals especially when exploding firecrackers for the raucous celebration. (Photo by Bullit Marquez/AP Photo)

A flock of sheep huddles together while snow spindrift is whipped up by strong winds in Swaledale, North Yorkshire, UK on March 17, 2017. (Photo by Paul Kingston/NNP North News & Pictures Ltd)

Model Lea Vlamos wears a creation for the Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2018 fashion collection presented in Paris, Wednesday, January 24, 2018. (Photo by Francois Mori/AP Photo)