Growing cities, overuse of fertilizers and factory wastewater have degraded China's water supplies to the extent that half the nation's rivers and lakes are severely polluted. China aims to spend $850 billion to improve filthy water supplies over the next decade, but even such huge outlays may do little to reverse damage caused by decades of pollution and overuse in Beijing's push for rapid economic growth. Photo: Fishermen row a boat in the algae-filled Chaohu Lake in Hefei, Anhui province, June 19, 2009. (Photo by Jianan Yu/Reuters)

Howard Jackson, a Liberian migrant, poses for a portrait in the Andalusian capital of Seville, southern Spain March 7, 2016. Jackson escaped civil war and spent three years crossing Africa before reaching Spain. Dressed up in one of his more than 200 costumes, from Peter Pan to Little Red Riding Hood, he is a well-known figure at an intersection entering the Spanish city of Seville where he has sold tissues to motorists for over a decade. Jackson is studying law and wants to become a judge. (Photo by Marcelo del Pozo/Reuters)

Irina, worker of a petrol station, now member of reconnaissance team of pro-Russian rebels' in the town of Makievka, eastern Ukraine, October 6, 2014. Like the men in the conflict, the women come from all walks of life. Some women come to serve with their husbands and boyfriends, others are single. Female fighters on both sides said the men in their units treat them as equals, though sometimes showing more leniency. They have little respect for men who have not taken up arms. On both sides the fighters expect a long conflict, despite the fragile ceasefire now in place. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)

A man dressed as “El Chapulin Colorado”, a character by screenwriter Roberto Gomez Bolanos, performs for fans and media as they wait for the arrival of the funeral van carrying the body of Bolanos, at Mexican media company Televisa in Mexico City November 29, 2014. Mexican actor and screenwriter Roberto Gomez Bolanos, one of Latin America's most beloved comedians, whose slapstick acts charmed fans from Spain to Argentina for over four decades, died on Friday at the age 85. Known as “Chespirito”, a word play on “Little Shakespeare” for his diminutive stature and his prolific scripts, Gomez Bolanos created some of the region's most enduring comic characters. (Photo by Carlos Jasso/Reuters)

The Museum of Feelings doesn't really have “exhibits" in the conventional sense; rather, visitors move from one themed alcove to another, five in total, each with its own distinctive aroma. The “Optimistic Room," bathed in vivid pink and purple light, is little more than a lightshow, with patrons using small reflective panels to bounce light around the room. Here: People interact in the “optimistic” room at the Museum of Feelings, a pop-up installation in New York, December 15, 2015. (Photo by Stephanie Keith/Reuters)

Japanese sеx doll exhibition attracts hundreds of mannequin-fetishists to celebrate 40 years of the X-rated love bots in Tokyo, Japan on May 19, 2017. These silicon seductresses were the star of an extraordinary exhibition in Japan showcasing sеx dolls that cost as little as a second hand car. Japanese sеx doll maker Orient Industry (originally Orient made dolls for disabled people) were laying bare their dazzling bevvy of beauties in an extravaganza to mark its 40th anniversary this week. Here: Orient industry prides itself on its detail with two looking extremely real as they sit flirtatiously on a couch. (Photo by Masatoshi Okauchi/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

“Tardigrades (commonly known as waterbears or moss piglets) are small, water-dwelling, segmented animals with eight legs. Tardigrades were first discovered in 1773 by Johann August Ephraim Goeze, who called them kleiner Wasserbär, meaning “little water bear” in German. The name Tardigrada means “slow walker” and was given by Lazzaro Spallanzani in 1777. The name water bear comes from the way they walk, reminiscent of a bear's gait. The biggest adults may reach a body length of 1.5 millimetres (0.059 in), the smallest below 0.1 mm. Freshly hatched tardigrades may be smaller than 0.05 mm”. – Wikipedia. Photo: Tardigrades. (Photo by SPL/East News)

Usually, we can only expect mischief from a group of overactive students. However, three talented students from Germany have amazed us with their dedication for beautifying their hometown. The electrical towers were always considered to be big ugly things. Most of the time, the electrical towers look awkward and completely ruin the beautiful landscape behind them. Nevertheless, the young minds have thought of a way to turn these towers into multicolored lighthouses, which immediately draw the attention of all the passersby and look as if they were brought here from a different world. All that was needed to achieve this was a little bit of imagination, colored plastic, and some spare time. Let us hope that this is only the beginning of the journey of these young artists. (Photo by Günter Pilger)