Syrian President Bashar Al Assad watches as Pope John Paul II boards his plane at Damascus airport May 8, 2001 at the end of the Pontiff's four-day visit to Syria.

“Catch of the Decade”. Can you guess what happened next? Photo location: Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA. (Photo and caption by Aaron Baggenstos/National Geographic Photo Contest)

Hitler, Hirohito and Mussolini, in effigy, are about to take a mile-high plunge over Stone Mountain, near Atlanta, Georgia, June 21, 1942, as part of the scrap rubber drive. Private Elias Nour, who arranged the stunt as a farewell party on the eve of his entrance into the army, is on the running board. He guided as the “Axis” plunged to destruction. Spectators had to give a scrap of rubber as the price of admission to the spectacle. (Photo by AP Photo)

Women take part in Glowork exhibition in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on September 28, 2017. (Photo by Faisal Al Nasser/Reuters)

An old car passes by while dark clouds are seen due to the tropical storm Idalia in Havana, on August 28, 2023. (Photo by Yamil Lage/AFP Photo)

This view shows giant hot air balloons of various shapes being lifted to begin flights from the Metropolitan Park over the city of Leon during the 2025 International Balloon Festival (FIG) in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico on November 15, 2025. (Photo by Mario Armas/AFP Photo)

Dancers from Kyiv and Dnipro preparing themselves in the wings for a performance at the Kyiv National Opera House on June 24, 2022. (Photo by Julian Simmonds/The Guardian)

Seth Casteel is an award-winning photographer and the New York Times Best Selling Author of Underwater Dogs. His new book, Underwater Puppies, was published September 16, 2014. Photo: “Underwater Puppies”: Popcicle. (Photo by Seth Casteel)