While communism, collectivism, worms, dry rot and casual looting failed to destroy the majestic wooden churches of Russia, it may be ordinary neglect that finally does them in. Dwindled now to several hundred remaining examples, these glories of vernacular architecture lie scattered amid the vastness of the world’s largest country. Just over a decade ago, Richard Davies, a British architectural photographer, struck out on a mission to record the fragile and poetic structures. Austerely beautiful and haunting, “Wooden Churches: Traveling in the Russian North” (White Sea Publishing; $132) is the result. Covering thousands of miles, Mr. Davies described how he and the writer Matilda Moreton tracked down the survivors from among the thousands of onion-domed structures built after Prince Vladimir converted to Christianity in 988.

James Kerr started his project “Scorpion Dagger” without any real direction, except for the intention to make one GIF everyday(ish) for one year. He had been making collages for some time and “Scorpion Dagger” started out to be a test of discipline and a way for him to learn how to animate. Making GIFs was a logical evolution to him. The project represents many different things to him, the works from which he draws upon are so powerful and inspirational to him, that he is now nearly obsessed with repurposing them to share his vision of the world, and perhaps inspire people to look at art differently. The project is tremendously personal to him, it’s a lot more than the humor that’s at its surface and he is still trying to work out what “Scorpion Dagger” really is.

Harnaam Kaur has polycystic ovary syndrome, which can cause excessive hair growth. She was just 11 years old when a beard started to appear on her face and the hair quickly spread to her chest and arms.

I’m really enjoying this series of photos by photographer Lucas Zimmermann captured on a foggy night near Weimar, Germany. You can see more from the series over on Behance.

When the city is in need, these superhero cats will do everything they can to help (i.e. look on indifferently then passive-aggressively poop on the bed).

A lesser or red panda stands on its hind legs at Chiba Zoological Park on May 20, 2005 in Chiba, Japan. The panda can maintain the position for over 10-20 seconds at a time. (Photo by Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images)

25-year-old Masayoshi Matsumoto is a Japanese artist that creates incredible animals out of balloons. From birds to insects, the artist’s designs can involve dozens of variously sized balloons in an assortment of shapes. For more be sure to check out his creative artworks at the links below.

It is said that Torajans are people who “live to die”. For this Indonesian ethnic group, funerals are such extravagant events that they sometimes attract tourists. Families can postpone burials years (and the deceased are considered sick and hosted at home until the funeral) until the family can raise enough money and gather as many relatives as possible. And then it’s a jubilant multiday social event with a parade, dances and animal sacrifices. Agung Parameswara photographed these funerary practices when he traveled to South Sulawesi province, where the Torajans live. (Photo by Agung Parameswara/The Washington Post)