English National Opera presents Georges Bizet's “Carmen” at the London Coliseum in London on October 6, 2025. (Photo by Jane Hobson/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

A meerkat stands guard as her pups cuddle at Mountain Zebra National Park, South Africa early November 2025. (Photo by Nadine Leonard/Two Point O Media)

A model presents a creation during a catwalk presentation for the Paul Costelloe Spring/Summer 2024 collection, at London Fashion Week in London, on September 13, 2024. (Photo by Henry Nicholls/AFP Photo)

Protesters practice using slings as they block a road in support of former President Evo Morales in the face of an investigation opened against him for the alleged abuse of a minor while in office, in Parotani, Bolivia, Thursday, October 31, 2024. (Photo by Juan Karita/AP Photo)

Opossums on their mothers back at a game reserve in Central Minnesota, USA, on September 2, 2013. (Photo by Caters News Agency)

The Smilovichi Felting Factory in Belarus was founded in 1928, when Smilovichi was a small Jewish settlement of craftsmen. Five of those craftsmen organized a small artel (a cooperative association of craftsmen who all live and work together), which produced warm boots called “valenki” for cold weather. Photo: Belarusian workers works at a felt boot factory in Smilovichi, some 35km from Minsk, Belarus, 16 January 2012. (Photo by Tatyana Zenkovich/EPA)

Elephants enjoy various kinds of fruits and vegetables during an all-you-can-eat elephant buffet held to mark the National Elephant Day at the ancient historical city of Ayutthaya, Thailand, 13 March 2014. The annual National Thai Elephant Day is held on 13 March to celebrate and drawing public attention for more concerted effort to save the species and protect its habitat. Thailand sees a severe decline with less than 3,000 wild elephants left in the kingdom. (Photo by Rungroj Yongrit/EPA)

“Lofoten Glow”. I was desperately searching a good sunrise spot this particular morning. Normally Storvatnet Lake is completely covered in snow, so you can only imagine my surprise when I saw these crazy ice formations almost being shot out of the frozen lake. I put my crampons on and took a big risk walking out. I could hear the ice cracking underneath my feet, and when you’re all alone in a fjord/canyon like this – the cracks are echoed and sound really frightening. Was it worth it? I sure think so! Photo location: Storvatnet, Lofoten Islands in Northern Norway. (Photo and caption by Stian Klo/National Geographic Photo Contest)