In the silence interrupted only by air bubbles, a freediver trains in a freshwater abyss moving from the bottom of a cenote towards the surface. The sulfur cloud beneath him reflects the sun’s rays, creating an extraordinary visual effect: initially, it appears solid, but then dissolves like clouds once passed through.

To capture the perfect shot of a great horned owl, Nichole had to overcome several challenges. She had to wake up at 3:00 a.m., reach the destination before dawn to take advantage of the best lighting, and also deal with the seasonal tick alert.

A group of young boys enjoy a colorful flash mob on the beach along the Adriatic Sea, celebrating the joy of rebirth and experiencing the feeling of freedom after the lifting of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.

A close-up of the volcanic cone at night during the eruption of Cumbre Vieja. The pyroclastic material resembles fireworks exploding in the sky. The long exposure technique adds to the drama of the scene, freezing the rapid movements of the debris in a single instant.

This photograph captures a captivating scene of two women carrying aluminum baskets on their heads on their way to the market, walking past a wall covered in vibrant paintings. One of the women is carrying a bundle of tubers, while the other appears to be carrying one of the painted fish on the wall behind her.

A humpback whale is trapped in a buoy, unable to move and facing a slow and painful death. It’s a tragic consequence of human selfishness and our failure to recognize the impact of our actions and our responsibility to protect the planet.

A spotted genet silently approaches a small pond, where a group of large carps is swimming. With an empty stomach and a need for sustenance, the genet must hunt silently to avoid startling its prey. The photographer’s aim is to capture the contrasting worlds that exist above and below the water’s surface.

Hundreds of athletes at the 2022 Europe Triathlon Multisport Championships swim in the Bilbao estuary, resembling fish as they splash and move their arms in perfect coordination. The colorful swimming caps add to the already fascinating scene.

In a seaside resort town in France, a gas station is suddenly transformed into a spectacular diving board, from which some boys jump into the sea with daring and breathtaking acrobatics, creating a surprising and stunning scene.

In the Dhaka University area of Bangladesh on December 1, 2022, people gather to watch the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 match between Argentina and Poland on a big screen in the street. As Argentina scores a goal, the crowd’s faces light up with excitement and amazement.

The UNODC recently identified Nigeria as potentially the world’s largest center for the illegal pangolin trade, with massive shipments of pangolin scales being illegally exported from the country. The illicit market is worth hundreds of millions of dollars in Nigeria alone.

Mount Etna during its explosive eruption in December 2021. The explosive pyroclastic material is seen bursting out with a black cloud of volcanic sand, against a dark sky that provides a stunning contrast to the floating clouds. A long exposure shot also captured the snowy landscape, illuminated by the moonlight and stars.

A majestic African elephant takes a sand bath to protect its skin from the sun’s rays and parasites. The shot, isolating the animal from the rest of the herd as it sprays sand all over itself, captures a fascinating moment, made even more suggestive by the beauty of the surrounding landscape.

Everyday life offers surprising and magnificent dramas like this one. The scene is ambiguous as the boy seems to be diving into a surreal reflection. Observers wonder if the elderly lady is seeing the same thing they are, and if the boy is noticing the beautiful play his body is creating.

Amanullah, 4 months old, is hospitalized in the EMERGENCY surgical center for war victims in Lashkar-Gah. In his posthumous book "One person at a time" Gino Strada wrote: "In many years spent in Afghanistan I have always seen the same victims of different wars [...] The time will also come for the war of all against all".

The Chirolophis japonicus is a territorial and solitary animal with a body shape similar to that of an eel. It can reach a length of 44 cm and has numerous leathery appendages on its head, which is also covered in scales. Although a male and a female may live close to each other, they still have strictly individual shelters.

The Biswa Ijtema, a significant event for Muslims, is held on the banks of Tongi Turag river in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The event has drawn millions of people, both locals and foreigners, resulting in a crowded Ijtema field filled with colorful tents and devoted individuals.

Keirin, a track cycling competition that originated in Japan, has become an Olympic event since the Sydney 2000 Olympics. With a top speed of 70 km/h, it is a thrilling spectacle. The rain-soaked track shines under the light, creating a mystical atmosphere. However, it is also a challenging condition for the riders due to the risk of slipping.

Pacu Jawi is a traditional extreme sport that has been practiced for centuries in the rural areas of West Sumatra, Indonesia. During the competition, fearless participants demonstrate their skill and bravery by gripping onto the horns of two powerful bulls and running at full speed across a muddy field.

Before a game of buzkashi, a traditional Central Asian sport primarily played in Afghanistan, an Afghan jockey rests beside his horse. The game involves horse-mounted players attempting to place a goat carcass-shaped bag in a goal.

The wildebeest cross the Masai Mara at sunset, braving the lurking crocodiles, leopards, and hippopotamuses in the water. This annual event is a crucial part of their migration and journey. Humans from around the world travel to witness this intense spectacle, waiting patiently for hours in their jeeps for the moment to unfold

Aliyana Stokes, 10, and her brother Bryson Stokes, 5, participate in a gun safety class for children alongside other attendees at Choppa Community, a gun range in rural Maryland. It is a place for African American gun owners and others to assemble to learn gun safety, self-defense and have a place to target practice.

Female Northern spectacled salamanders, also known as Savi’s salamanders, lay their eggs on submerged branches in cold waters of an Apennine stream in Italy’s Foreste Casentinesi National Park.

A child is having fun taking a bath in the streets during summer. Washing himself under the reserve water source brings him moments of pleasure. He laughs while washing his face and covering it with his hands.

Gotipua, a traditional form of dance in Orissa, has been performed by boys dressed up as girls for centuries. However, this art is gradually fading away due to a lack of audience interest: when the artist has no audience, their art dies. Documenting how Performing Arts are evolving means dealing with a human knowledge that is slowly disappearing.

At the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase heats witnessed a dramatic fall from Germany’s Lea Meyer. As she ran up to the water obstacle her worst fears came true as she clipped the hurdle and splashed face first into the water.

Keshav Maharaj of South Africa leaps and misses a chance to catch Alex Lees of England’s shot during the fourth day of the third cricket round between England and South Africa at The Kia Oval in September 2022.

A flock of flamingos flying over the saline basins of Lake Magadi and Lake Natron. These birds love to feed on the algae that thrive on the lake’s surface, and it is the chemical composition of the algae that produces extraordinary colors as they react to the different levels of alkaline content of the lakes.

In a frigid river in the Pacific Northwest, a male pink salmon struggles against the current in a tumultuous small plunge pool on the way to its spawning grounds. Its effort is evident and well highlighted by the image’s composition and sense of motion.

Life in the mountainous villages of Eastern Anatolia is quite difficult. The rate of girls going to school is extremely low. However, as we can see in this picture, the seasoned family elders support their grandchildren regardless of their gender. They always watch and protect them.

Despite the increasingly severe restrictions imposed on women in Iran, Kurdish girls choose to celebrate Nowruz, the New Year festival that falls during the spring equinox, by wearing colorful clothes and dancing traditional dances.

Bhandar Loot is a unique ritual ceremony which takes place in Guptipara, West Bengal, and is dedicated to Lord Jagannath Dev. The overhead view provides a fascinating perspective of the sweaty crowd, highlighting the pure faith of the participants and the profound spiritual power of the ceremony.

The purpose of this image is to seize, within a single instant, the strength and power of nature. Leonardo achieves this by deliberately excluding anything other than water from the composition, drawing the viewer’s attention exclusively to the majestic Dettifoss waterfall, the sole protagonist of the scene.

During the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division, UCD Bowl, in Dublin, the UCD is playing against the Shelbourne team. The UCD Dónal Higgins is kicked in the face by Brendan Clarke of Shelbourne.

The Bon-Secours Beach is a popular beach located under the city ramparts, where people of all ages enjoy their summer by jumping from the diving board into the pool filled with seawater.

A group of 30-40 male white-tip reef sharks compete for the chance to mate with a female, writhing and stirring up sand in a wild and epic scene. After mating, the exhausted and bloodied female seeks refuge in a crevice in the rock. However, the males show no mercy and drag her out to continue reproducing.

The FADs (Fish Aggregating Devices) often attract various sea creatures, including sharks, for hunting or seeking refuge. Among these sharks, there were thousands of thimble jellyfish, drifting along with the current. Despite their presence, the sharks appeared unperturbed, swimming amongst the jellyfish with ease.

A protester tries to shield a fellow demonstrator during a clash between police and protesters at an anti-government demonstration against the Indian government’s alleged atrocities on working-class people.

Stormers captain Steven Kitshoff warms up ahead of the United Rugby Championship semifinal match between Stormers and Ulster held at Cape Town Stadium, June 11, 2022.