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)

A woman takes pictures using her mobile phone on a deserted square decorated ahead of Christmas, in Pristina on December 7, 2020, during a government-imposed curfew from 7pm to 5am, as part of preventive measures against the spread of the Covid-19. (Photo by Armend Nimani/AFP Photo)

Polar frame, by Dmitry Kokh, Russia. When Kokh’s boat approached the small island of Kolyuchin in the Russian High Arctic, which had been abandoned by humans since 1992, he was surprised to spot movement in one of the houses. Binoculars revealed polar bears – more than 20 in total – exploring the ghost town. Dmitry used a low-noise drone to document them. (Photo by Dmitry Kokh/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2022)

The Christmas tree is lit at Rockefeller Center in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., November 30, 2022. (Photo by Jeenah Moon/Reuters)

Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station experiences months of darkness. The sun dips below the horizon on March 21, after which follows several weeks of twilight before complete darkness results. Photo taken on June 25, 2009. (National Science Foundation/Jeremy Johnson)

Former Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan was the subject of more mum shaming as she posts eye-popping snap. The I'm A Celeb: South Africa star took to social media with a risque snap as she enjoyed a London getaway in the first decade of September 2023. (Photo by @hjgflanagan/Instagram)

Chimpanzees are fascinated as bubbles are fired from a bubble gun at the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Sierra Leone in the second decade of June 2024. The keepers used non-toxic soap liquid to create the bubble barrage. (Photo by Renato Granieri/Media Drum Images)

Visitors ride a swing attraction during the Hochheim Market in Hochheim, Germany on November 11, 2025. The traditional autumn fair has been held for more than 500 years. (Photo by Matias Basualdo/ZUMA Press Wire/Rex Features/Shutterstock)