Beautiful, strange and occasionally alarming pictures from the shortlist for this year’s Wellcome image awards – which celebrate the very best in science photography and imaging – from an x-ray of a bat to a micrograph of a kidney stone. The exhibition opens on 12 March at three science centres and the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester. Photo: Scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of an Arabidopsis thaliana flower, also commonly known as thale cress. Some of the anthers are open, revealing pollen grains ready for dispersal. Arabidopsis was the first plant to have its entire genome sequenced and is widely used as a model organism in molecular and plant biology. Horizontal width of image is 1200 microns. Magnification 100x. (Photo by Stefan Eberhard/Wellcome Images)

Competitors practice their moves before taking part in the UK Hobby Horse championship at Bury Farm Equestrian Centre on September 08, 2024 in Slapton, United Kingdom. While hobby horsing as a form of play has been around for centuries, the modern-day interpretation of the sport originated in Finland.(Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

The workers dry the pipe papade made from seasoned and colored dough, during the containment imposed by the government as a preventive measure against COVID-19, in Agartala, the capital of the state of north-east India on May 5, 2020. (Photo by Abhisek Saha/Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA Press/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

Freshmen in Zhengzhou Institute of Aeronautical Industry Management head bottles of mineral water for upright stand during military training on September 17, 2015 in Zhengzhou, Henan Province of China. More than 6,800 freshmen in the school are required to take part in the military training. (Photo by ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images)

A protester wears a face shield made of recycled plastic bottles by artist Leeroy New during a anti-terror bill rally at the University of the Philippines as they observe Independence Day on Friday, June 12, 2020, in Metro Manila, Philippines. Hundreds of activists in the Philippine capital staged protests Friday against a proposed anti-terror law they say could be used to quash dissent, ignoring police threats that they could be arrested for violating coronavirus restrictions against large public gatherings. (Photo by Aaron Favila/AP Photo)

The stunning coastline of South Wales in UK on July 12, 2025 was once again turned into a wild and wonderful natural playground as Love Trails Festival powered by Garmin welcomed around 5,000 people to the Gower Peninsula for a long weekend of music, trail running, adventure, movement and community. (Photo by Giulia Spadafora)

Indian students with face painted pose for a photo during an inter-college face painting competition at the Government Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel Polytechnic College in Bhopal, India, 17 February 2020. Over fifty people participated in the event and made face paintings on various issues including the coronavirus or COVID-19. (Photo by Sanjeev Gupta/EPA/EFE)

Secondary school graduates play in a fountain as they celebrate the last day of school, traditionally called the “last bell” in central Kiev, Ukraine on May 31, 2019. (Photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)