Soldiers of the French Air and Space Force who took part in the Skyros Operation get ready prior to the annual Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris on July 14, 2021. (Photo by Ludovic Marin/AFP Photo)

Is it a leaf? Is it tree bark? No, it’s the Satanic leaf-tailed gecko. Cleverly disguised as a rotting leaf, Madagascar’s camouflage king has red eyes, pointy horns and a taste for night hunting: it’s nature’s most devilish deceiver. The twisted body and veiny skin echo the detail of a dry leaf, which ensures the gecko blends in with its forest home. The mottled tail appears to have sections missing, as though it has withered over time. This mini-monster epitomises survival of the fittest, having adapted gradually to become today’s extraordinary leaf impersonator. (Photo by Thomas Marent/ARDEA)

Ultra-Orthodox Jews knead dough in a bakery in an Orthodox neighborhood in Jerusalem, 29 March 2015. Matzah, or unleavened bread, is used instead of bread during the week-long Jewish holiday of Passover, commemorating the Jewish exodus from Egypt in Biblical times. (Photo by Abir Sultan/EPA)

Getting her tongue pierced was “exciting and scary” says a teen who succumbed to pressure from her best friend in Austin, Texas, February 22, 2008. This image is featured in National Geographic's exhibition “Women of Vision: National Geographic Photographers on Assignment”, on view at the Palm Beach Photographic Centre, Jan. 22 - Mar. 22, 2015. (Photo by Kitra Cahana/National Geographic)

In this November 2, 2017 photo, Mathew Fulkerson and his wife Leigh Ann pose at their Subterra Airbnb located in a former underground missile silo base near Eskridge, Kan. It was designed to house a nuclear warhead six decades ago – but now, this Cold War silo is the perfect spot for a mini break at just $133 a night. (Photo by Thad Allton/The Topeka Capital-Journal via AP Photo)

English singer, songwriter and model Sophie Ellis-Bextor performs at G-A-Y at The Astoria on February 17, 2007 in London, England. (Photo by Jo Hale/Getty Images)

Hindu women worship the Sun god in the polluted waters of the river Yamuna during the Hindu religious festival of Chatth Puja in New Delhi, India, November 3, 2019. (Photo by Adnan Abidi/Reuters)

Bowden Loch, near Melrose, Scottish Borders, Scotland. The Northern Lights made an appearance over the Uk on the evening of the 7th October 2024. (Photo by Phil Wilkinson/The Times)