A scuba diver during an ice diving class at the Sea Frogs scuba diving center in the Russian Far Eastern city of Vladivostok, Russia on January 30, 2022. The air temperature is –11°C (12.2°F), the water temperature is –2°C (28.4°F). Scuba divers undergo theoretical and practical training in ice diving and perform dives in the open water during the day and the night time as part of the Ice Diver NDL special program. (Photo by Yuri Smityuk/TASS)

A person takes part in the annual LGBTQ+ Pride parade in Phuket, Thailand on June 4, 2023. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)

Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka poses with the 2023 Australian Open winner's trophy in Royal Botanic Garden in Melbourne on January 29, 2023, following her victory over Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina in the women's singles final of the tennis tournament. (Photo by Carl Recine/Reuters)

Hippo keeper Atthapon Nundee, 31, takes pictures of a two-month-old female pygmy hippo named “Moo Deng” who has recently become a viral internet sensation, at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand, on September 16, 2024. (Photo by Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

Boeing 747-400 of KLM in approach for the “Princess Juliana” airport, Netherlands Antilles Sint Maarten on July 2, 2002. (Photo by LUPOO/Ullstein Bild via Getty Images)

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)

High-rise buildings are partly covered by heavy fog at Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour Monday, March 20, 2017. Fog blanketing Hong Kong is common in springtime and may greatly affect shipping and aviation. (Photo by Vincent Yu/AP Photo)

Composite picture of lightning strikes over Colima, Mexico in just 5 minutes on July 14, 2020. These incredible photos show over 50 forks of lightning striking a city in just five minutes – in a storm being dubbed “The Night of a Thousand Forks”. The amazing, panoramic photos over the valley shows the whole sky light up as the forks of lightning strike at different points along the length of the city's 165 square miles. (Photo by South West News Service/Action Press)