Despite any political differences between the United States and Russia, the space agencies of the two countries continue their cooperative work in Earth's orbit, aboard the International Space Station. Apart from the research being done in microgravity, ISS crew members continue to send back amazing images of our home world, photographed from low Earth orbit. Gathered here are recent images of Earth from aboard the ISS, and from a handful of other NASA satellites.

A family of baby brown bears appear to be dancing to Ring a Ring o' Roses as their mother relaxes behind a tree nearby. At just a few months old, two young males and one female gather in a circle, clutch each others' hands and begin to dance to the popular nursery rhyme. It's almost like a scene from a school playground as the bears joyfully play together, tapping their feet and moving around in a circle. (Photo by Valtteri Mulkahainen/Solent News & Photo Agency)

One glance at the 3D models created by Rebeca Puebla is enough to realize that this artist has a soft spot for BDSM. The finely detailed model of a nun with heavily tattooed hands and a ball gag in her mouth or an Asian woman in a latex suit of a horse leave no doubt about it. At first, Rebeca Puebla has started out as a traditional illustrator. However, in later years she became a 3D character artist for films, TV, and video games. Though she has many regular-looking 3D models and illustrations, many of her works are quite controversial featuring 3D models of ladies in latex suits or wearing Nazi uniforms. (Photo by Rebeca Puebla)

These pictures, made by Joel Strong, look as if a giant hand is pinching the head of a poor Leo. Leo, however, is oblivious to this fact and continues on with his life, taking on a role of everyone from an old granny to a young lady. Thanks to Joel’s skill and sense of humor, the cut out heads of Leonardo DiCaprio, taken from 90s magazines, fit perfectly into the new scenes. If seeing young Leo with a body of an old granny or a fat, half-naked guy in the park doesn’t strike you as funny, we don’t know what will. (Photo by Joel Strong)

The artworks that Alexa Meade makes are very unique and original. A usual painter creates a 2D or a 3D drawing on flat 2D surface. Alexa, on the other hand, draws over the body of a regular person, making them look like a 2D painting. The pictures of these people are almost uncanny, as you realize that the eyes “paintings” are real, and suddenly it dawns upon you that you are seeing a living and breathing human being. It is weird how we perceive this world, and how easy it is to trick our brain into thinking that it’s seeing a two-dimensional object. (Photo by Alexa Meade)

Mah Chan, a Long Neck Padaung hill tribe woman weaves a scraf for sale to tourists in a small village where 30 familes live July 13, 2006 in Chiang Dao, Thailand. All the Long Neck villages are set up for tourists and just over a year ago the hill tribe members were hand picked to move closer to Chiang Mai from more remote communities so that they could be more accessible. The Padaung women famously wear brass rings around their necks, beginning at five-years-old, to distort the growth of their collarbones and making them look like they have long necks. They are originally from eastern Burma near the Thailand border. (Photo by Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)