Merit Prize Winner: “A Well Earned Rest in the Sahara”. This photo of Moussa Macher, our Tuareg guide, was taken at the summit of Tin-Merzouga, the largest dune (or erg) in the Tadrat region of the Sahara desert in southern Algeria. Moussa rested while waiting for us to finish our 45-minute struggle to the top. It only took ten minutes of rolling, running, and jumping to get back down. The Tadrat is part of the Tassili N'Ajjer National Park World Heritage area, famous for its red sand and engravings and rock paintings of cattle, elephants, giraffes, and rhinos that lived there when the climate was milder. Photo location: Summit of Tin-Merzouga, Tadrat, Tassili N'Ajjer National Park, Algeria. (Photo and caption by Evan Cole/National Geographic Photo Contest)

This undated photo provided by NOAA in May 2018 shows aurora australis near the South Pole Atmospheric Research Observatory in Antarctica. When a hole in the ozone formed over Antarctica, countries around the world in 1987 agreed to phase out several types of ozone-depleting chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Production was banned, emissions fell and the hole shriveled. But according to a study released on Wednesday, May 16, 2018, scientists say since 2013, there’s more of a banned CFC going into the atmosphere. (Photo by Patrick Cullis/NOAA via AP Photo)

This photo taken on December 2, 2015 shows a lenticular cloud forming as white streaks from airplanes mark the blue sky, in a rare atmospheric phenomena above the town of Gevgelija on December 2, 2015. Lenticular clouds have been regularly confused for UFOs throughout history due to the their smooth, round or oval lens-shaped structure. (Photo by Armend Nimani/AFP Photo)

American actress Jenna Ortega snaps a seductive selfie in the second decade of September 2022. (Photo by jennaortega/Instagram)

A member of the riot police gets ready to repel the attacks of protesters during a protest against President Sebastian Piñera during the seventh day of protests against President Sebastian Piñera on October 24, 2019 in Santiago, Chile. Although President Sebastian Piñera announced measures to improve equality, unions called for a national strike and demonstrations continue as casualties are now at least 18. Demands behind the protest include issues like health care, pension system, privatization of water, public transport, education, social mobility and corruption. (Photo by Marcelo Hernandez/Getty Images)

Russian fashion model Irina Shayk bares it all while getting ready for the Rio Carnival parade in Brazil early March 2025. (Photo by irinashayk/Instagram)

This handout photo taken and released on August 1, 2025 by Indonesia's Geological Agency shows Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki spewing lava and volcanic ash up to approximately 10 kilometres high during its eruption as observed from the monitoring post in East Flores, in East Nusa Tenggara province. A volcano in eastern Indonesia erupted on August 1, belching an ash tower 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) into the sky, the country's volcanology agency said, weeks after another huge eruption triggered dozens of flight cancellations to and from Bali. (Photo by Indonesia's Geological Agency/AFP Photo)

American singer-songwriter Madonna shows off some bling while hitching a ride on November 26, 2025. (Photo by madonna/Instagram)