A customer shops at an Alibaba rural service centre in Jinjia Village, Tonglu, Zhejiang province, China, July 20, 2015. E-commerce growth in the countryside now outpaces that in major cities, though fewer than one tenth of online purchases made on Alibaba platforms were shipped to rural areas in the first quarter of this year. Alibaba estimates the potential market at 460 billion yuan ($74 billion) by next year. (Photo by Aly Song/Reuters)

Competitors release their hens during the World Championship Hen Racing Championships in Bonsall, Britain August 1, 2015. (Photo by Darren Staples/Reuters)

Pamukkale, Turkey, is home to these terrace pools, formed by the build-up of carbonate mineral from the warm water flowing from the thermal springs above. (Photo by Image Courtesy of Jennifer Hayes/Getty Images)

This adorable gallery reveals the astonished expressions of dozens of puppies as they try to gobble up treats flying through the air toward them. Photographer Christian Vieler, 48, has been documenting pooches, with their eyes bulging, mouths wide open and looks of love on their faces, in his studio as part of the project “Dogs Catching Treats” since 2013. (Photo by Christian Vieler/Caters News Agency)

Second Place Winner: “Thunderstorm at False Kiva”. I hiked out to these ruins at night hoping to photograph them with the Milky Way, but instead a thunderstorm rolled through, creating this dramatic image. – Max Seigal. National Geographic Traveler Director of Photography Dan Westergren, one of this year's judges, shares his thoughts on the second place winner: “This photo combines two different scenes into one: the small kiva in a cliff dwelling and the grand vista of Canyonlands National Park across the valley. I really like the two different color palettes – warm inside and purple outside. This two-for-one scene was caused by the lightning storm outside the dwelling, which lit up the landscape like it was a huge electronic flash. Looking at this picture I can imagine what a wonderful sight it must have been for the ancient people who lived here. It doesn't seem too amazing now in our modern world, but might have been mind-blowing for the prehistoric residents”. Location: Utah. (Photo and caption by Max Seigal/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)

Jennifer Lawrence reacts as she poses backstage with her Oscar after winning the best actress award for her role in “Silver Linings Playbook” at the 85th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 24, 2013. Lawrence reacted to some photographers telling her to watch her step as she went onto the platform. (Photo by Mike Blake/Reuters)

The New World porcupine, family Erethizontidae, 1280 Gram born at 11 April 2015 Inventory in Zoo. Counting trade Fairs Weighing the Zoo is at 7 May 2015 too the 108 Birthday Zoo Hagenbeck Hamburg, Germany. (Photo by Imago/ZUMA Wire)