Inquisitive elephant seal pups venture towards a photographer on South Georgia, an uninhabited island near Antarctica early July 2022. The seals are not used to seeing humans and shuffled closer to Charlotte Rhodes rather than shying away. (Photo by Charlotte Rhodes/Media Drum Images)

A plastinated body presented as a pole vaulter is exhibited at the Menschen Museum, Museum of Humans, in Berlin, August 29, 2016. The museum was caught up in a legal dispute with the district office of Berlin-Mitte for years before it was able to meet the requirements made by the court. (Photo by Sophia Kembowski/DPA Photo via Newscom)

Horse riders perform during the 23rd Hassan II Trophy of Traditional Equestrian Arts (Tbourida) in Rabat, Morocco, 28 May 2024. Tbourida was inscribed in 2021 on UNESCO's representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity. (Photo by Jalal Morchidi/EPA)

There’s no need to suspend your disbelief when viewing these stunning photographs – the exquisite images are the real-life interactions between humans and animals. (Photo by Katerina Plotnikova)

A model poses with her arm after it was painted by body artist Guido Daniele into the likeness of a snake at Harrods on Februrary 4, 2008 in London, England. Guido Daniele has painted human hands since 2000. Each work of art takes over three hours to complete. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

A general view of Edinburgh Castle on February 7, 2012 in Edinburgh, Scotland. The castle dominates the city skyline was built on top of an extinct volcano, and has had a human settlement on the castle site since 900BC. (Photo by Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images)

The English artist Richard Stainthorp creates life-size sculptures with metal wire. Its special feature is to capture, accurately, all the energy and fluidity of the human body. A selection of his works is available in the article.

A Gnawa traditional group performs in the city of Essaouira on December 14, 2019, to celebrate the decision of adding the Gnawa culture to UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Gnawa culture, a centuries-old Moroccan practice rooted in music, African rituals and Sufi traditions, was added to UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity earlier in the week. Gnawa refers to a “set of musical productions, fraternal practices and therapeutic rituals where the secular mixes with the sacred”, according to the nomination submitted by Morocco. Often dressed in colourful outfits, Gnawa musicians play the guenbri, a type of lute with three strings, accompanied by steel castanets called krakebs. (Photo by Fadel Senna/AFP Photo)