U.S. soldiers from 145th Field Artillery Battalion deployed from the United States fire Paladin self propelled gun during the Foal Eagle training exercise at firing point 180 at the Rodriguez Live Fire Range on March 15, 2012 in Pocheon, South Korea. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

Close Encounter of the Insect Kind: “Check out the awesome face on this praying mantis. I can't get over the mouth, it's like something from a science fiction movie. Of all photographic styles macro is definitely my favorite. I am constantly amazed, in every photo that I take, by the intricate level of detail that exists on even the smallest of creatures. It's a stark reminder that a very complex and infinitely beautiful world exists just beyond our human-sized level of perception. Photo taken in Donnybrook, Queensland, Australia” – Andrew Young. (Photo by Andrew Young/National Geographic Photo Contest via The Atlantic)

More than 700 underwater images were submitted for the 2012 Annual Underwater Photography Contest, hosted by the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science. This year, for the first time, the University of Miami set up a “Fan Favorite” category for its underwater photo competition. Internet users could vote for their favorite among five pictures. Todd Aki's photo of a jellyfish took the prize, snaring 599 of the 1,221 votes cast. (Photo by Todd Aki)

Actress/Singer Victoria Justice arrives at the 2012 Teen Choice Awards at Gibson Amphitheatre on July 22, 2012 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Jeffrey Mayer)

A shoebill is displayed at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo August 28, 2012. (Photo by Itsuo Inouye/Associated Press)

The crowd is reflected in the glasses of a bearded competitor at the third annual National Beard and Moustache Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 11, 2012. (Photo by Frederic J. Brown/AFP Photo)

The Sphinx breed of cat “Adam vom Feisastern” of the German breeder Sabine Braeuer waits on a jury table during an annual International Pedigree Dog and Cat Show in Erfurt, Germany on June 10, 2012. (Photo by Jens Meyer/Associated Press)

“The 8th annual Water War on Friday in the center of Tel-Aviv, Israel turned into a battlefield, quite literally. As two thousand people were having fun in the square, some water-fighters took to more radical behavior, targeting passing cars, motorcycles and public buses”. – iReport.cnn.com (Photo by Sergey Demyanchuk)