An environmental activist adjusts his mask while taking part in “The Dead Sea Swim Challenge”, swimming from the Jordanian to Israeli shore, to draw attention to the ecological threats facing the Dead Sea, in Kibbutz Ein Gedi, Israel November 15, 2016. Swimmers from around the world plunged into the salty waters of the Dead Sea on Tuesday to attempt a seven-hour swim across the fabled lake in a bid to draw attention to its environmental degradation. Wearing protective masks and snorkels, 25 swimmers paddled through the muddy water to attempt the 9-mile (15-kilometer) swim from Jordan to Israel. (Photo by Nir Elias/Reuters)

People take pictures of deer in the Phoenix Park in Dublin, Ireland December 5, 2016. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)

With its huge eyes, comical name and diminutive size, Mark R. Smith’s image of a baby Hawaiian bobtail squid can’t help but raise a smile. A curiously endearing creature, the cephalopod is just 1.5cm across, its mantle cavity bearing more than a passing resemblance to a rather natty shower cap. But it is also a beautiful example of symbiosis – nature’s version of “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine” – for on the underside of the squid is a light organ which houses bioluminescent bacteria. The squid offers the bacteria protection and food, while the bacteria emit a glow – a handy trait that the squid uses to offset its silhouette, helping it to evade predators in the depths below. Mark R. Smith’s entry combines several images of a Hawaiian bobtail squid with different focus lengths to create a final picture with greater depth of field than normal. (Photo by Mark R. Smith/Wellcome Images/Macroscopic Solutions)

A wild leopard runs on the stairs as it tries to escape from a compound of a house in Kathmandu, Nepal June 1, 2016. (Photo by Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters)

A woman poses for photographs after Gucci Cruise 2024 collection fashion show at the Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul, South Korea on May 16, 2023. (Photo by Kim Soo-Hyeon/Reuters)

A white yak sits on the lakeside of Namtso on May 19, 2024 in Lhasa, Xizang Autonomous Region of China. As temperature rises and ice melts, Lake Namtso is entering its tourism season. An event celebrating the melting of frozen water of Lake Namtso is held on May 19. (Photo by Jin Wei/VCG via Getty Images)

Models present creations by DAQQAB during the Petjoy Fashion Week in Shanghai, China, 02 November 2025. The 2025 Petjoy Fashion Week runs from 31 October to 02 November at the Shanghai Fashion Center. (Photo by Alex Plavevski/EPA)

A puma rolls and yawns on frost-covered ground in Laguna Amarga, Torres del Paine, Chile in the first decade of December 2025, pausing briefly after several hours of rest before continuing on her way. (Photo by Sara Jenner/Solent News & Photo Agency)