In 1949, LIFE magazine sent famed photographer Nina Leen to document the daily life of a sassy troupe of young women who had run off and joined the famous Barnum & Bailey Circus in Sarasota, Fla. What developed was a portrait of a sisterhood formed over acrobatics that mixed high-flying wire acts with fashionable high-waisted shorts. Sarasota was once considered “the home of the American circus”. Here: an aerialist smoking while rehearsing for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in Sarasota, FL in 1949. (Photo By Nina Leen/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images)

The world's first 3D printed car – the Stratti – was built in just 45 hours at the International Manufacturing Technology Show which took place between September 8 – 13, 2014. The Strati, which is Italian for layers, has a chassis body made of one solid piece and has a top speed of 40mph. The tyres, seats, wheels, battery, wiring, suspension, electric motor and window shield of the revolutionary vehicle were made using conventional methods. (Photo by Barcroft Media/ABACAPress)

With its huge eyes, comical name and diminutive size, Mark R. Smith’s image of a baby Hawaiian bobtail squid can’t help but raise a smile. A curiously endearing creature, the cephalopod is just 1.5cm across, its mantle cavity bearing more than a passing resemblance to a rather natty shower cap. But it is also a beautiful example of symbiosis – nature’s version of “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine” – for on the underside of the squid is a light organ which houses bioluminescent bacteria. The squid offers the bacteria protection and food, while the bacteria emit a glow – a handy trait that the squid uses to offset its silhouette, helping it to evade predators in the depths below. Mark R. Smith’s entry combines several images of a Hawaiian bobtail squid with different focus lengths to create a final picture with greater depth of field than normal. (Photo by Mark R. Smith/Wellcome Images/Macroscopic Solutions)

This photo provided by Jiji Press shows a Japan Airlines plane on fire on a runway of Tokyo's Haneda Airport on January 2, 2024. A Japan Airlines plane was in flames on the runway of Tokyo's Haneda Airport on January 2 after apparently colliding with a coast guard aircraft, television reports said. (Photo by JIJI Press/AFP Photo)

Teacher Scott Miller recently helped his Amish neighbors with a barn raising. Along with lending a hand in the process, Miller set up his camera to photograph the event. From 7 a.m. until 5 p.m., Miller's camera snapped away as the community created their newest building from the ground up.

Barcelona-based visual effects/3D animation company Big Lazy Robot brings us a beautiful animated video that uses an alternate robotic world to satirize our dependence on technology.

Drag queen Brigitte Bandit performs during the Fight the Trump Takeover, one of several held across the nation against Texas Republicans’ efforts to redraw the state's 38 congressional districts, at the State Capitol in Austin, Texas on August 16, 2025. (Photo by Nuri Vallbona/Reuters)

Law enforcement carry a pro-Palestinian protester at the University of Texas, during the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Austin, Texas on April 24, 2024. (Photo by Nuri Vallbona/Reuters)