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Based on the layout of Helm’s Deep featured in Peter Jackson’s film adaptation, this 150,000 brick set piece is astounding. The artists, who go by the names Rich-K and Big J, apparently, nail the atmosphere and scale of the conflict of one Lord of the Rings most iconic scenes. At the time these photos were taken, the model was about 90% complete, with an estimated four months worth of work. The time, money and personal investment that must have gone into this project is impressive.

Few people haven’t heard about the ancient city of Persepolis, which lies at the foot of the Mountain of Mercy (Kuh-I-Rahmat). In ancient times, Persepolis was the capital of the Achaemenid Empire. Regretfully, it was burned by the Greeks in 330 BC after they looted the immense treasure of this city. It is said that Greeks needed 5,000 camels and 20,000 mules to carry all the treasures from Persepolis. The only thing of Persepolis that has survived the wear of time is the ginormous stone terrace 530 by 330 meters adorned by elaborate stone sculptures. It is amazing how intricately detailed some of the sculptures are, despite the fact that they were created many centuries ago.

Russians play accordions as they walk near the building of the Federal Security Service (FSB, Soviet KGB successor) in Lubyanskaya Square to mark May Day in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, May 1, 2016. As in Soviet times, about one hundred thousand of cheerful workers paraded across Red Square despite a chilly rain, but instead of red flags with the Communist hammer and sickle, they waved the blue flags of the dominant Kremlin party and the Russian tricolor. (Photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP Photo)

People and Nature category winner: Why did the sloth cross the road? by Andrew Whitworth (Osa Conservation and University of Glasgow), taken in Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. “I was driving out from the Osa Peninsula, located on the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica on a dark, stormy day. This female three-toed sloth (Bradypus variegatus) had luckily just about made it across the road, and the drivers of the Toyota on this occasion had spotted her in good time”. (Photo by Andrew Whitworth/2019 British Ecological Society Photography Competition)

The incredible detail in each photo is thanks to Jordi Benitez Castells, years of experience taking photos while diving. Jordi, 40, from El Vendrell, Spain, was in Catalunya when he took the photos and managed to get the snaps at about three metres below the surface in most cases. While he works full-time in a bank, Jordi dons his wetsuit out of hours to go diving and uses a Canon 7D to get his shots. Here: One of the beautiful jellyfish. (Photo by Jordi Benitez/Caters News)

Turkish World Record Holder in freediving Sahika Ercumen dives to raise awareness about pollution in sea waters in Kas district of Antalya, Turkiye on June 07, 2023. Every year 400 tons of one time use plastic are made globally and in Turkiye 91 percent of the plastics are not recycled. (Photo by Sebnem Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Mount Sinabung, a highly active volcano on Sumatra island, erupted several times this week. A volcanology agency has declared a danger zone of about four miles from the crater after seven farmers were killed and two others seriously injured. Here: A man carries his dog as a giant ash cloud rises from the Sinabung volcano in Karo, Indonesia on May 26, 2016. (Photo by Sutanta Aditya/Barcroft Images)

A topless woman walks through Bryant Park following the protest march called the GoTopless Day Parade Sunday, August 23, 2015, in New York. The parade took to the streets to counter critics who are complaining about topless tip-seekers in Times Square. Appearing bare-breasted is legal in New York. But Mayor Bill de Blasio and police Commissioner Bill Bratton say the body-painted women in the square who take photos with tourists are a nuisance. (Photo by Kevin Hagen/AP Photo)