Beautiful, strange and occasionally alarming pictures from the shortlist for this year’s Wellcome image awards – which celebrate the very best in science photography and imaging – from an x-ray of a bat to a micrograph of a kidney stone. The exhibition opens on 12 March at three science centres and the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester. Photo: Scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of an Arabidopsis thaliana flower, also commonly known as thale cress. Some of the anthers are open, revealing pollen grains ready for dispersal. Arabidopsis was the first plant to have its entire genome sequenced and is widely used as a model organism in molecular and plant biology. Horizontal width of image is 1200 microns. Magnification 100x. (Photo by Stefan Eberhard/Wellcome Images)

Models promote a condom brand at the first Shenzhen s*x Culture Festival on September 21, 2007 in Shenzhen of Guangdong Province, China. The festival aims to increase awareness about reproductive health and popularise s*x education. (Photo by China Photos/Getty Images)

Dutch artists Lernert and Sander cut raw food into 98 perfect 2.5 x 2.5 x 2.5 cm cubes, creating a tantalizing geometric display. This viral photo was commissioned by Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant for their their food-themed documentary photography special.

Rapper Nicki Minaj attends TIDAL X: 1015 on October 15, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Brad Barket/Getty Images for TIDAL)

Australian model Shanina Shaik attends the Interview x Equinox party during NYFW on February 7, 2024. (Photo by Rupert Ramsay/BFA.com)

“Jessica”, a silicon sеx doll for sexual encounters lies on a bed at the “Bordoll” brothel on April 17, 2019 in Dortmund, Germany. Bordoll is Germany's first brothel to specialize in sеx dolls. It currently offers 13 female dolls and one male doll and will soon be expanding its female line-up. Schwarz says “sеx dolls are so popular because the client can do what he wants to and nobody complains”. (Photo by Lukas Schulze/Bongarts/Getty Images)

Eurocopter's X³ high-speed hybrid helicopter demonstrator performs, September 6, 2010. The Eurocopter X³ (X-Cubed) is an experimental high-speed compound helicopter developed by Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters). A technology demonstration platform for Eurocopter “high-speed, long-range hybrid helicopter” or H³ concept, the X³ achieved 255 knots in level flight on 7 June 2013, setting an unofficial speed record for a helicopter. (Photo by Reuters/HO/Eurocopter/Penna)

Model Bella Hadid walks the runway for the Savage X Fenty Fall/Winter 2018 fashion show during NYFW at the Brooklyn Navy Yard on September 12, 2018 in Brooklyn, NY. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Savage X Fenty)