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)

Photographer David Lazar captured photos of native Dessana tribe, nearly 3,000 miles away from Brazil's capital. Tribe is only accessible by boat from city of Manaus. Surrounded by trees, waterfalls and tropical wildlife, this Amazon tribe is a world away from the beaches of Rio.

California-based photographer Seth Casteel made his name taking photographs of dogs underwater, but before that, he was snapping cats on land.

A man fires his pistol in the air during a celebratory rally after the United Nations approved a no fly zone over the country on March 18, 2011 in Tobruk, Libya. Libya declared an immediate cease-fire after the UN vote but reports indicate that Muammar Gaddafi's forces were still shelling two cities. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

In this handout photo provided by the U.S. Navy, the USS Stout launches a Tomahawk missile in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn March 19, 2011. This was one of approximately 110 cruise missiles fired from U.S. and British ships and submarines targetting about 20 radar and anti-aircraft sites along Libya's Mediterranean coast.

A muslim woman protests opposite Downing street against the military action taken by the UK, USA and France against Libya on March 21, 2011 in London, England. The Pentagon says that United States and United Kingdom military forces have fired more than 110 missiles, with French planes attacking pro-Gaddafi forces near rebel-held Benghazi. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)

Hindu devotees play with coloured powders during Holi celebrations at the Bankey Bihari Temple on March 21, 2011 in Vrindavan, India. Holi, the spring festival of colours, is celebrated by Hindus around the world in an explosion of colour to mark the end of the winter. (Photo by Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)

Archie McQuater, 82-year-old clockmaker at Craiglea clocks, adjusts a clock face to British Summer Time (BST) on March 25, 2011 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Clocks will be put forward by one hour at 1:00 AM GMT on Sunday March 27, 2011 officially the start of British Summer Time. British Summer Time will end this year on October 30. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)