Pangolins in Crisis: Brent Stirton, South Africa; 1st place, Natural world and wildlife. “Pangolins are the world’s most illegally trafficked mammals, with an estimated one million trafficked to Asia in the last 10 years. Their scales are used in traditional Chinese and Vietnamese medicine, and their meat is sold as a high-priced delicacy. As a result, pangolins are listed as critically endangered and anyone who trades or consumes them is breaking the law. This body of work exposes the trade, while exploring aspects of illegality and celebrating the people who are trying to save these animals”. (Photo by Brent Stirton/Sony World Photography Awards 2020)

Maksym Demchuk of Ukraine takes part in the FAI World Hot Air Balloon Championship near Gross-Siegharts, Austria on August 20, 2018. (Photo by Heinz-Peter Bader/Reuters)

A competition, now in its 43rd year, dedicated to showcasing the beautiful and bizarre as seen under a light microscope attracted over 2,000 entries from 88 countries. Here: Honorable Mention by Emre Can Alagöz, Istanbul, Turkey: The eyes of a jumping spider, magnified 6x. (Photo by Emre Can Alagöz/2017 Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition)

A man takes a photo of a mural entitled “Thank goodness Silvia is here” (Meno male che Silvia c'è), representing former Italian prime minister and presidential candidate Silvio Berlusconi dressed as a woman, by Italian street artist Salvatore Benintende aka TvBoy, on January 21, 2022 in Milan. (Photo by Piero Cruciatti/AFP Photo)

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo poses for a photo with Giuliana, a fan from Brazil, as he arrives with the Portuguese team at Lisbon airport to depart for the World Cup in Qatar, Friday, November 18, 2022. (Photo by Armando Franca/AP Photo)

A Germany fan looks dejected after the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group E match between Costa Rica and Germany at Al Bayt Stadium on December 1, 2022 in Al Khor, Qatar. (Photo by Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters)

A Brazil fan enjoys the atmosphere prior to the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Semi Final match between Brazil and Germany at Estadio Mineirao in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on Jule 8, 2014. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

A fan of Canada takes a selfie with former Miss Croatia Ivana Knoll who attends the game during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group F match between Croatia and Canada at Khalifa International Stadium on November 27, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images)