Fireworks light up the skyline over Sydney Harbour during the midnight fireworks session as Sydney Celebrates New Year's Eve with the theme of “Time To Dream” on on January 1, 2012 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/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)

We are so used to seeing common square-shaped buildings that we are completely surprised when architects cook up something new and refreshing. However, the new creation that appeared in Rotterdam beside the Binnenrotte is simply jaw dropping. This one of a kind architectural masterpiece is a combination of a huge open air market and an apartment building. The name of this place is Markthal Rotterdam, and it is bound to become one of the main destination points for tourists that come and visit the beautiful city of Rotterdam. (Photo by Ossip van Duivenbode)

Some of these cat paintings have cost $15,000 and had to be renewed every 3 months! Some cat owners are really crazy about their cats! I’m not sure these poor cats really enjoyed the long hours of painting on their fur. The results are pretty amazing! Some cat painting are very simple with a unique color, others are very complex and required a true artist, like painting on a canvas. These cats are ready for Halloween!

Kea are the only true alpine parrots in the world and thrive as cunning opportunists in the freezing conditions of the Southern Alps. Kea are thought to have developed their wide array of food-finding strategies during the last great ice age, where they learned to adapt using their unusual powers of curiosity. (Photo by Tom Walker/BBC Pictures/The Guardian)

A participant runs towards the waters of the North Sea during the annual New Year's plunge event in Ostend, Belgium, January 2, 2016. (Photo by Francois Lenoir/Reuters)

Fireworks explode over Elizabeth Tower housing the Big Ben clock in London. (Photo by Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press)

The lightest material ever made has been produced by a team of scientists in China, a Chinese university announced.