The carcass of a fattened pig, winner of the “holy pig” contest, is attached to a metal frame during a sacrificial ceremony in Sanxia district, in New Taipei City, Taiwan February 1, 2017. The winner of Taiwan's “holy pig” ceremony on Thursday defended the lunar new year tradition against critics who argue the fattened animals are raised under cruel conditions. (Photo by Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

An injured woman is helped by emergency workers as she lies on the sidewalk in Times Square after a speeding vehicle struck pedestrians on the sidewalk in New York City, U.S., May 18, 2017. A car plowed into a crowd of pedestrians in New York' s bustling Times Square, leaving one person dead and at least 12 other injured in what officials said was an accident. (Photo by Mike Segar/Reuters)

Anti-government protesters take cover during clashes with security forces who are firing tear gas from La Carlota airbase in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, May 1, 2019. Opposition leader Juan Guaidó called for Venezuelans to fill streets around the country Wednesday to demand President Nicolás Maduro's ouster. Maduro is also calling for his supporters to rally. (Photo by Ariana Cubillos/AP Photo)

People walk in the rainstorm as typhoon Lekima approaches in Shanghai, China on August 10, 2019. The death toll from Typhoon Lekima rose to 49 on August 13 and 21 were still missing after the monster storm wreaked havoc on China's eastern coast, causing huge damage with strong gales and torrential rain. (Photo by Aly Song/Reuters)

Italy is the latest country to boast a sеx doll brothel amid predictions the market for robot romps is “going to explode” world-wide. “LumiDolls”, which operates robot knocking shops in Barcelona and in Moscow is now opening a bot bonking branch in the Italian city of Turin on September 3, 2018. (Photo by Giulio Lapone/IPA/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

Nine years ago, Tom Carter traveled from San Francisco to China, responding to a job posting that turned out to be a scam. He managed to find another job as a teacher, and saved enough money to embark on a 56,000 km trip through all of China's 33 provinces that lasted two years. Carrying a camera – just a a 4-megapixel point-and-shoot – Carter captured some amazing images of the widely varying landscape, people, and architecture across the nation. Photo: Buddhist pilgrim family from Sichuan. (Photo by Tom Carter via The Atlantic)