It's that time of year again when dogs with unusually large heads, hairless bodies and other oddities compete to be the World's Ugliest Dog. This year's winner? A 2-year-old mutt named Peanut, whose wild white and brown hair, bulging eyes and protruding teeth belie his sweet, energetic personality. Peanut's owner, Holly Chandler of Greenville, North Carolina, says he was seriously burned as a puppy and she wants to use her pet to raise awareness about animal abuse. She plans to use the $1,500 prize to pay for other animals' veterinary bills. The contest, held at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds in Petaluma, California, is in its 26 year. The dogs are scored by a three-judge panel in several categories, including special or unusual attributes, personality and natural ugliness.

In Jukkasjärvi, a village a few miles east of Kiruna, the proprietors of one hotel begin planning for a winter ice festival in March. That’s when they begin collecting some 5,000 tons of ice from the River Torne in order to prepare the Icehotel, the world’s coolest place to stay. Options for overnight stay include snow rooms, ice rooms, art suites, and the Northern Lights room, all of which range from about $300 to $900 per night. But the deluxe suite’s the only way to go. These rooms come with a critical amenity: heated ensuite bathrooms and saunas. Here: A man walks into a room in the Ice hotel in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden, December 16, 2015. (Photo by Ints Kalnins/Reuters)

“Adventurers have gone deep underground to discover previously unexplored caves in these pictures. The awe-inspiring snaps show the cavers dwarfed by the huge series natural rock chambers in the Leye – Fengshan Geopark, China. Belgian photographer Francois-Xavier De Ruydts, 33, captured the team of explorers as they trekked through the deep wonderground in January 2014”. – Caters News. Here: Caving expedition in Fengshan, China, Guangxi province. (Photo by Francois-Xavier De Ruydts/Caters News)

A man covered in motor oil, poses for a picture next to a girl dress a traditional clothes during a festivities in honor of Santo Domingo de Guzman in Managua, Nicaragua, Saturday, August 1, 2015. Some of the faithful coat their bodies in a black motor oil, red paint and wear traditional clothes as a promise for a prayer or miracle they believe was performed or answered by Managua's patron saint, Santo Domingo de Guzman. (Photo by Esteban Felix/AP Photo)

A woman laughs as she takes part in the “Domingo Fareleiro” (Floury Sunday in Galician) festival in the village of Xinzo de Limia, northwestern Spain, on January 21, 2018. Domingo Fareleiro (Floury Sunday) takes place annually in Xinzo de Limia, Spain, in a unique celebration that gives the starting signal for a long festive period known as Entroido, or Carnival. (Photo by Miguel Riopa/AFP Photo)

Lucha Libre wrestlers perform during the Lucha VaVoom spectacle “Cinco de Mayan” at The Mayan theater in Los Angeles, California, USA, late 04 May 2023 (issued 05 May 2023). The Lucha VaVoom presents Lucha Libre wrestling spectacles and mixes them with burlesque show elements. (Photo by Caroline Brehman/EPA/EFE)

Flamingo chicks walk in an enclosure before they are tagged in Fuente de Piedra, Spain, on Jule 19, 2014. Fuente de Piedra lagoon is a natural reserve with more than 170 different species recorded and one of the main breeding grounds for flamingos in the Iberian Peninsule. Hundreds of flamingo chicks are tagged and checked annually to record the evolution of the species. (Photo by Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images)