While vacationing on the Maldives Islands, Taiwanese amateur photographer Will Ho stumbled onto an incredible stretch of beach covered in millions of bioluminescent phytoplankton. These tiny organisms glow similarly to fireflies and tend to emit light when stressed, such as when waves crash or when they are otherwise agitated. While the phenomenon and its chemical mechanisms have been known for some time, biologists have only recently began to understand the reasons behind it. Photo: Bioluminescent phytoplankton washes up on Maldives beach. (Photo by Will Ho)

Light is the sole reason why life exists. It provides us with warmth; it allows us to see; it nourishes all the living things on this planet. Many painters, especially the masters of Old Renaissance Period, have recognized the importance of light and its intimate connection with nature and life itself. In their paintings they gave tribute to light, giving the impression that their paintings had a light source hidden within them. Al Hogue, the artist who created the paintings that you see before you, has studied their techniques for many years. As time went by, light permeated not only his paintings by also his life, becoming his sole philosophy.

Albert is not the happiest looking kitty in the world. Even Tard the Grumpy Cat looks more cheerful. Well… maybe not cheerful. But at least Tard doesn’t have a look of menace and a desire to kill in his eyes. What could have caused a kitty to wear such a stern look all the time? It might be the fact that he’s all curly. Almost no one likes to stand out too much, and maybe Albert is no exception. Despite his menacing appearance, Albert’s owner claims that he’s a very polite cat and plays nicely with children. Though it is hard to believe at first glance, we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, even when we’re looking at a cat.

James Spears takes his 1964 German built Amphicar for a drive on Lake Mead in Nevada May 6, 2015. Its a journey many drivers dream of, rather than travelling round a lake simply driving through it. But for James Spears it may be time to make the most of the waters in Lake Mead in Nevada, as water levels are plunging as California struggles to cope with a fourthsuccessive year of droughts. (Photo by Mike Blake/Reuters)

A competitor reacts as she takes part in the “Tough Guy” adventure race near Wolverhampton, central England, on January 29, 2017. The Tough Guy event, which is being held for the final time in its 30th year, challenges thousands of competitors to run a gruelling course whilst negotiating over 200 obstacles including: water, fire, and tunnels. (Photo by Oli Scarff/AFP Photo)

A shrine maiden walks in the snow at the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine in Kamakura, near Tokyo, Thursday, November 24, 2016. Tokyo residents have woken up to the first November snowfall in more than 50 years. An unusually cold air mass brought wet snow to Japan's capital on Thursday. Above-freezing temperatures kept the snow from sticking, but forecasters said there could be an accumulation of up to 2 centimeters (1 inch). The last time it snowed in central Tokyo in November was in 1962. (Photo by Shizuo Kambayashi/AP Photo)

Georgie Bain takes a selfie with her horse in “Best Friends” in Aberdeen, United Kingdom, Date Unknown. For the first time, the founders of the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards have launched a photography award show giving proud pet owners a chance to show off their quirky pets. (Photo by Georgie Bain/Barcroft Images/Comedy Pet Photography Awards)

To an outsider, their passion is at times illegal and often on the verge of life and death. But climbing rooftops of high-rise buildings and exploring abandoned facilities is in the blood of these young Muscovites. The small group calls itself “Rudex”, which stands for “roof and decay exploration”, and is akin a Western youth craze known as urbex or “urban exploration” of man-made structures. Here: Urban explorer Vad Him of Rudex team jumps whilst on a rooftop in Moscow, Russia, August 14, 2017. (Photo by Maxim Shemetov/Reuters)