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Received today — 23 October 2026 ⏭

Photos of the Week: Foam Fight, Santa Dance, Orangutan Escape

✇The Atlantic
By: Alan Taylor
23 October 2026 at 14:00
A protester wearing a mask, goggles, and period costume stands during a demonstration in Paris.
Kiran Ridley / AFP / Getty
A protester wearing a period costume stands during a demonstration against the high cost of living in Paris, on October 17, 2026, as part of a nationwide call for mobilization, bringing together various groups expressing their anger: former gilets jaunes protesters, secondary-school and university students, climate activists, farmers, and more.
A police officer wearing riot gear stands in front of a burning barricade.
Carl Court / Getty
A police officer wearing riot gear stands in front of a burning barricade during a demonstration near Place de la République on October 17, 2026, during a weekend of protests in Paris, France.
A person wears a suit covered in what appear to be coffee pods during a performance in an atrium.
Felix Hörhager / DPA / Getty
A performer in the rotunda of the Pinakothek der Moderne at the start of the Long Night of Munich Museums, on October 17, 2026, in Munich, Germany.
A close view of a soldier in London wearing a bearskin hat, their face almost completely obscured by the hat
Aaron Chown / AFP / Getty
A soldier wears a bearskin hat during the Household Cavalry’s centenary dedication of the Guards Memorial, at Horse Guards Parade, in central London on October 16, 2026.
An orangutan tries to escape as people try to capture it during a rescue operation.
Reina / AFP / Getty
A 20-year-old orangutan tries to escape as members of the Natural Resources Conservation Agency, the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, and the World Wide Fund for Nature Indonesia evacuate it due to wildfires in Hampangen Village, Katingan Regency, Central Kalimantan, on October 17, 2026.
A days-old giraffe stands beside its mother, its tongue poking out of its mouth.
Jens Büttner / DPA / Getty
A female giraffe calf, born nine days earlier, enjoys a sunny day with her mother, Kahlua, at the Schwerin Zoo on October 22, 2026, in Schwerin, Germany.
A deer walks through a stand of trees at sunrise, lit from behind.
Brook Mitchell / Getty
A deer walks through a stand of trees at sunrise in London’s Richmond Park on October 19, 2026.
A rocket lifts off, seen at night.
Kyodo / Reuters
The H3 rocket carrying the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) rover bound for Mars’s moon Phobos lifts off from the Tanegashima Space Center in Minamitane, Kagoshima prefecture, Japan, on October 20, 2026.
People watch a burning oil terminal.
AFP / Getty
People watch a burning oil terminal following an air attack in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on October 18, 2026. Russia shot down dozens of Ukrainian drones near Saint Petersburg, authorities said on October 18, hitting an oil terminal and disrupting flights at one of the country’s busiest airports.
Two people look at a crater after a Russian missile strike in Ukraine.
Evgeniy Maloletka / AP
People look at a crater after a Russian-missile strike in a residential neighborhood in Kyiv, Ukraine, on October 21, 2026.
Two people stand on stairs, looking up at the sky between many tall, densely-built residential buildings.
xCheng Xin / Getty
A man and a woman photograph the densely packed residential blocks of the Monster Building on October 20, 2026, in Hong Kong, China.
A nighttime view of part of the skyline of Seoul
Philip Fong / AFP / Getty
The Lotte World Tower (right) and Namsan Seoul Tower (back left), as captured from the observatory area of Namhansanseong in Gwangju city of Gyeonggi province, a suburb of Seoul, South Korea, on October 22, 2026.
A gymnast practices their beam routine.
Tim Clayton / Getty
Hezly Rivera of the United States performs her beam routine during podium training in preparation for the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships 2026, on October 15, 2026, in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
A humanoid robot competitor falls while navigating a slope obstacle.
Jia Tianyong / China News Service / Getty
A humanoid robot competitor falls while navigating a slope obstacle during 2026 Robot Warrior Challenge Fall Competition on October 18, 2026, in Beijing, China.
A mail carrier walks down a path of a house decorated with many Halloween skeleton displays.
Michael Yanow / NurPhoto / Getty
A mail carrier delivers mail to a house decorated with skeletons for Halloween in Los Angeles, California, on October 21, 2026.
Five performers - four in bellhop costumes, one in a Santa Claus costume - kick while walking side-by-side.
Kin Cheung / AP
Santa and bellhops pose in front of the Selfridges’ Christmas windows during a media preview in London, England, on October 22, 2026.
A crowd of students, all covered from head-to-toe in soap suds
Lesley Martin / Reuters
Students from St Andrews take part in a foam fight as part of “Raisin Monday” on the lower college lawn, at St Andrews in Scotland, on October 19, 2026.
Electoral workers prepare electronic voting machines.
Eraldo Peres / AP
An electoral worker prepares an electronic voting machine ahead of Brazil’s presidential runoff election in Brasilia, Brazil, on October 20, 2026.
A group of young people hold CPR mannequins before a flash mob.
Vadim Ghirda / AP
Romanian Red Cross volunteers hold CPR mannequins before a flash-mob performance to mark World Restart a Heart Day in Bucharest, Romania, on October 16, 2026.
A dense flock of geese, in flight, in early morning light
Klaus-Dietmar Gabbert / DPA / Getty
Geese take flight from the Mannhausen shallow-water area in search of food, early on October 21, 2026, in Calvörde, Germany. Thousands of migratory birds are currently stopping there to rest on their way to their wintering grounds.
Fairgoers ride a spinning swing ride.
Mario Tama / Getty
Fairgoers ride a swing ride at the Big Fresno Fair on October 17, 2026, in Fresno, California.
An effigy of a mythical demon king is set on fire in an arena full of spectators.
Sachin Kumar / AFP / Getty
An effigy of the mythic demon king Ravana is set on fire on the occasion of the Hindu festival of Dussehra, at the Gandhi Maidan in Patna, India, on October 20, 2026.
Thick smoke and haze fill the air above a city street.
Afan Anugerah / AFP / Getty
An aerial view shows thick smoke and haze from regional forest and land fires in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, on October 15, 2026.
An aerial view of thousands of people dancing in concentric circles around a stage
Saurabh Sirohiya / NurPhoto / Getty
An aerial view shows more than 50,000 people performing Garba in concentric circles around a stage during the United Way of Baroda Garba Mahotsav 2026 in Vadodara, Gujarat, India, on October 19, 2026. The annual festival draws participants in colorful traditional attire who dance in rhythmic circles as live musicians perform from the central stage, while spectators watch from the stands. Garba, a folk dance of Gujarat performed in honor of the goddess Durga, is the centerpiece of the nine-night Hindu festival of Navratri.
An aerial view of a road with many sharp switchbacks on a mountainside covered in autumn-colored trees
Xue Jun / VCG / Getty
An aerial view of colorful autumn foliage and the Taihang No. 1 Tourist Road winding through a forest in Jinzhong, Shanxi province, China, on October 19, 2026
A man sits on a park bench among autumn foliage.
Narciso Contreras / Anadolu / Getty
A man sits in Djurgården National Park at sunrise among autumn foliage in Stockholm, Sweden, on October 18, 2026.
A pair of capybaras nibble on a carved pumpkin.
Jeff J Mitchell / Getty
Capybaras at the Five Sisters Zoo interact with pumpkins in their enclosure ahead of Halloween on October 21, 2026, in West Calder, Scotland.
A boy plays on rocks on a beach, silhouetted by the setting sun.
Martin Bureau / AFP / Getty
A boy plays on rocks on Sillon beach in Saint-Malo, France, at sunset on October 20, 2026.

© Kiran Ridley / AFP / Getty

A protester wearing a period costume stands during a demonstration against the "high cost of living," in Paris on October 17, 2026.
Received — 21 October 2026 ⏭

Photographing the Microscopic: Winners of Nikon Small World 2026

✇The Atlantic
By: Alan Taylor
21 October 2026 at 15:01
A very close view of the leg of a weevil on a reflective surface
Daniel Knop, Oberzent-Airlenbach, Hessen, Germany
Image of Distinction: A close view of the leg of a weevil
A microscopic view of mold spore structures, looking like small spheres atop narrow stalks
Eric Epstein, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Sixth Place: Hemitrichia slime-mold spore structures (fruiting bodies)
A very close view of the tip of a pencil being struck and illuminated by sparks
Dr. Marcel Clemens, Verona, Veneto, Italy
Eighth Place: Pencil lead during exposure to a high-voltage electrical discharge
A microscopic image of a turtle embryo, with neural pathways colored bright green
Amartya Tashi Mitra and Paul Maier, Aria Huang, Nathaniel Sweet and Anthony Wokasch, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Honorable Mention: Neurons of red-eared-slider (Trachemys scripta) embryo
A. black-white-and-red microscopic image of a many-tendriled cell
Nicolas Noel and Dr. Valentina Cigliola, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Image of Distinction: Neonatal-mouse astrocyte in culture
A tiny water flea, near a cluster of green algae
Anne Gleich, Licoi, Kaiserslautern, Rheinlandpfalz, Germany
Image of Distinction: Daphnia sp. (water flea) and Volvox sp. (green algae)
A microscopic close-up of the face of a weevil
Přemysl Orlík, Opava, Czech Republic
Image of Distinction: Hazelnut weevil (Curculio nucum)
Purple-colored blobs, visible in a microscopic cross-section of a spruce tree
Gerhard Vlcek, Maria Enzersdorf, Austria
Image of Distinction: Cross-section of spruce treetop
A weevil pokes its head out of a hole it bored into a fava bean.
Zhang You, Kunming, Yunnan, China
Image of Distinction: A weevil pokes its head out of a hole it bored into a fava bean.
A dark image with a small creature at center, a limpet, with various cell structures illuminated in multiple bright colors
Amartya Tashi Mitra and Harsha Sen, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Image of Distinction: Cellular structures of slipper-limpet (Crepidula fornicata) larva
A microscopic view of long, parallel neurons in a mouse brain, looking like loose columns or bits of hanging string
Kaelin Wulf and Ms. Rachel Flannery, Allen Institute, Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Third Place: Neurons in an expanded mouse brain
A close view of algae, diatoms, and microscopic creatures
Dr. Arlene Wechezak, Anacortes, Washington, U.S.
Image of Distinction: Red algae, diatoms, and protozoans
A close view of a gnat caught in sticky structures on a cannabis plant
Justin Zoll, Freeville, New York, U.S.
Image of Distinction: Adult fungus gnat caught in the sticky trichomes of a cannabis plant

Be sure to visit the Nikon Small World competition website to view the full set of winning and honored images.

© Daniel Knop, Oberzent-Airlenbach, Hessen, Germany

Image of Distinction: A close view of the leg of a weevil
Received — 20 October 2026 ⏭

Winners of the 2026 Epson International Pano Awards

✇The Atlantic
By: Alan Taylor
20 October 2026 at 16:02
Tall cliffs and rock formations rise above a flat, arid landscape.
© Aytek Çetin / The 17th Epson International Pano Awards
Silent Citadel. 34th place (tie), Open—Nature / Landscapes. Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
An overhead view from a drone of an illuminated times Square in New York City
© Xuecheng Liu / The 17th Epson International Pano Awards
Center of the Cosmos. Winner, Open-Built Environment. Times Square, New York City. Liu: “Times Square is one of the most photographed places in the world, so my challenge was to find a perspective that could make such a familiar place feel unfamiliar again. From above, the dense architecture, streets, and illuminated billboards seem to radiate around the square.”
Three ranchers on horseback drive a small herd of horses across a snowy field with mountains in the background.
© David Soldano / The 17th Epson International Pano Awards
Winter on the Ranch. 38th place (tie), Open—Nature / Landscapes. Westcliffe, Colorado.
A white egret perches on a branch among many moss-covered swamp Cypress trees.
© Marsel van Oosten / The 17th Epson International Pano Awards
The Hanging Garden. 89th place (tie), Open—Nature / Landscapes. Atchafalaya Basin, U.S.A.
A black-and-white underwater photograph of four beluga whales swimming together
© Merche Llobera / The 17th Epson International Pano Awards
Lines of Light. Fourth place (tie), Open—Nature / Landscapes. Churchill, Canada.
An elevated view of runners racing along a raised road surrounded by water on either side
© Shimon Perlstein / The 17th Epson International Pano Awards
Running on Salt. 74th place (tie), Open—Aerial. Dead Sea, Israel.
An aerial view of a herd of reindeer moving in concentric circles
© Michiko Kimura / The 17th Epson International Pano Awards
Currents of the Tundra—Sami Reindeer Migration. Fourth place (tie), Open—Aerial. Alta, Norway.
A large elephant walks in front of a low sun among trees and bushes.
© Merche Llobera / The 17th Epson International Pano Awards
Golden Colossus. 34th place (tie), Open—Nature / Landscapes. Amboseli, Kenya.
a09_OBE100_5_Mang.jpg
© Mang Sun / The 17th Epson International Pano Awards
Walking in the Rainbow. Fifth place (tie), Open—Built Environment. Eastbourne, U.K.
a10_ABE100_55_Csaba.jpg
© Csaba Tökölyi / The 17th Epson International Pano Awards
Reservoir. 55th place (tie), Amateur—Built Environment. Gellért-hegy, Hungary.
A whale breaches as many seagulls fly nearby, with icebergs visible in the background.
© Ngar Shun Victor Wong / The 17th Epson International Pano Awards
Ocean King. 38th place (tie), Open—Nature / Landscapes. Disco Bay, Greenland.
A close view of a greenish spider building a web on the tip of a plant's stalk.
© Ngar Shun Victor Wong / The 17th Epson International Pano Awards
Circle Game. 67th place (tie), Open—Nature / Landscapes. Taipo, Hong Kong.
An aerial view of distant snowcapped mountains standing above an uneven field of foothills
© Daniel Viñé Garcia / The 17th Epson International Pano Awards
The Sleeping Giant. Winner, The Raw Planet Award. Garcia: “Parinacota Volcano was one of the main photographic goals of my trip to Chile. Rising to more than 6,300 meters, the mountain has a distinctive snow-covered cone with an almost perfect symmetry that immediately reminded me of volcanoes such as Mount Fuji. Beside it stands Pomerape, another giant reaching more than 6,200 meters, together forming one of the most impressive landscapes I encountered during the journey.”
A World-War-II-era military aircraft wreck at the bottom of the ocean
© Atsushi Hori / The 17th Epson International Pano Awards
Final Flight. Fourth place (tie), Amateur—Built Environment. A Japanese reconnaissance aircraft “Saiun.”
A view down a steep and narrow desert valley of a herd of camels drinking from a watering hole
© Marsel van Oosten / The 17th Epson International Pano Awards
Guelta. 95th place (tie), Open—Nature / Landscapes. Ennedi Massif, Chad.
A mother polar bear and two cubs, seen at a distance on a snow-covered hillside
© Marsel van Oosten / The 17th Epson International Pano Awards
Between a Rock and a Soft Place. 59th place (tie), Open—Nature / Landscapes. Nunavut, Canada.
An aerial view, looking down at flowing lava
© Adrien Sifre / The 17th Epson International Pano Awards
Rivers of Fire. 74th place (tie), Open—Aerial. Grindavik, Iceland.
Six giraffes walk in a field with a city skyline visible in the background.
© Jeffrey Dannay / The 17th Epson International Pano Awards
Urban Migration. 65th place (tie), Open—Built Environment. Nairobi, Kenya.
a19_ANL100_46_Gonzalez.jpg
© David Gonzalez / The 17th Epson International Pano Awards
Rider at Dusk. 46th place (tie), Amateur—Nature / Landscapes. Mount Bromo.
A long-exposure image of fireflies dotting the forest near a small Japanese shrine
© Shirley Wung / The 17th Epson International Pano Awards
Golden Path to the Sanctuary. Ninth place (tie), Open—Built Environment. Japan.
A penguin leans in to look at the camera, standing near a larger group of penguins on a rocky beach.
© Risto Raunio / The 17th Epson International Pano Awards
Royal Penguin. 46th place (tie), Open—Nature / Landscapes. Australia, Macquarie Island.

To see a full gallery of winners and honorees from this year and previous years, be sure to visit the competition’s website.

© © Aytek Çetin / The 17th Epson International Pano Awards

"Silent Citadel." 34th place (tie), Open—Nature / Landscapes. Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Received — 16 October 2026 ⏭

Photos of the Week: Rabbit Jumping, Floating Bazaar, Chief Mouser

✇The Atlantic
By: Alan Taylor
16 October 2026 at 14:00
A model poses outside, in front of a half-dozen passing hot-air balloons, wearing a flowing garment based on traditional designs.
İlkin Eskipehlivan / Anadolu / Getty
Traditional clothes and designs created by designers from across the Turkic world were showcased during the Cappadocia leg of the ninth Türksoy Women and Ethno-Fashion Meeting in Ürgüp, Nevşehir, Turkey, on October 9, 2026.
A riot police officer detains an injured protester with a bloodied face.
Hameraldi Agolli / AP
A riot police officer detains an injured protester during clashes near the Ministry of Education in Tirana, Albania, on October 13, 2026, joining a demonstration organized by the Flamingo protest movement demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
A person walks past a burning kiosk during a protest.
Florion Goga / Reuters
A person walks past a burning kiosk during clashes between police and demonstrators amid an anti-government protest by students in Tirana on October 15, 2026.
A tall tree stands in silhouette against smoke illuminated by a wildfire.
Bruno Kelly / Reuters
A deforested area of the Amazon rainforest burns during the dry season in the municipality of Autazes, in the state of Amazonas, Brazil, on October 12, 2026.
A closed walkway spans across part of a large and complex waterfall that is overflowing with high water.
Kiko Sierich / Reuters
A walkway, closed for safety reasons, photographed during high water flow at Iguazu Falls in Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná state, Brazil, on October 13, 2026
Storm waves crash into damaged beachfront homes.
Jae C. Hong / AP
Waves from Post-Tropical Storm Rachel crash into damaged beachfront homes in Long Beach, California, on October 12, 2026.
Many dozens of scooter and motorcycle riders jam into a queue at a gas station.
Johannes Christo / Reuters
Motorcyclists queue to refuel at a petrol station amid a fuel-supply shortage in Badung, Bali, Indonesia, on October 15, 2026.
Dozens of sailboats sail together in a harbor, seen behind an ornate lighthouse.
Alberto Pizzoli / AFP / Getty
Boats sail past Vittoria Light lighthouse at the start of the 58th Barcolana sailing regatta in the Gulf of Trieste on October 11, 2026.
An elevated view of a long road bridge shrouded in hazy smoke.
Edmar Barros / AP
The Jornalista Phelippe Daou Bridge is shrouded in smoke from wildfires in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil, on October 9, 2026.
A Blue Angels jet aircraft flies past, generating a cone-shaped condensation cloud.
Jeff Chiu / AP
The U.S. Navy Blue Angels fly during the San Francisco Fleet Week Air Show, on October 9, 2026.
A firefighting helicopter flies above a fire crew on a hillside.
David Swanson / AFP / Getty
An L.A. County Fire helicopter flies above crews fighting the Bike Fire on the outskirts of Santa Clarita, California, on October 11, 2026.
Many birds perch on a power transmission tower.
AFP / Getty
Migratory birds perch on a power-transmission tower on the Yellow River floodplain in Yueyahu township in Yinchuan, in China’s northern Ningxia region, on October 10, 2026.
Two acrobats swing upside-down from ropes attached to a tall pool on a rocky beach.
Fernando Llano / AP
The Flying Men of Papantla perform the “Danza de los Voladores” on the beach as Hurricane Simon approaches Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, on October 10, 2026.
Two tram cars hang beneath a suspended railway above a river.
Halil Sagirkaya / Anadolu / Getty
The Wuppertaler Schwebebahn suspension railway carries passengers above the Wupper River in Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, on October 11, 2026.
A young child drives a small pink electric car on a road open to pedestrians.
Ellen Schmidt / AP
Bryanna Sarmiento cruises on the Stillwater Lift Bridge in her electric car during the annual Harvest Festival in Stillwater, Minnesota, on October 11, 2026.
A person works aboard a small boat amid many spherical floats in an abalone farm.
AFP / Getty
An aquaculture worker navigates a boat through an abalone-farming area to carry out maintenance work in Guanwu village, Lianjiang county, in China’s Fujian province, on October 13, 2026.
Many people sit and stand in dozens of small boats during a floating bazaar.
Thein Zaw / AP
Locals row their boats at a local floating bazaar in Inle Lake, Shan State, Myanmar, on October 13, 2026.
Soldiers carry long guns and heavy gear as they wade through waist-deep water.
Juni Kriswanto / AFP / Getty
Members of the Australian Defence Force take part in the “Keris Woomera” joint military drills with Indonesian marines at Banongan beach in Situbondo on October 15, 2026.
A car-shaped river taxi carries passengers down a river.
Khaled Desouki / AFP / Getty
A car-shaped river taxi cruises along the Nile River in central Cairo, Egypt, on October 15, 2026.
Sparks fly behind an F1 racing car.
Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images / Getty
Sparks fly behind Pierre Gasly during sprint qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Singapore at Marina Bay Street Circuit on October 9, 2026.
Two workers wield hammers at a sword-making forge, with one striking hot metal and sending up a shower of sparks.
VCG / Getty
Tourists visit a workshop at the Shen Guanglong Sword Casting Park to observe traditional sword-forging techniques on October 10, 2026, in Lishui, Zhejiang province, China.
Red deer stags battle each other during the annual rut.
Ian Forsyth / Getty
Red deer stags battle each other during the annual rut at Raby Castle on October 11, 2026, in Staindrop, England.
A life-sized dinosaur statue is loaded onto the low bed of a truck, as people watch.
David Ebener / DPA / Getty
A life-size Camarasaurus made of steel and concrete is transported from its previous location at the Barkhausen dinosaur trails in Bad Essen to Damme, Germany, on October 11, 2026.
A leashed rabbit hops over an obstacle during a competition.
Jonathan Nackstrand / AFP / Getty
A rabbit hops over an obstacle as its handler guides it during the long-jump competition at the European Rabbit Jumping Championships in Lysekil, Sweden, on October 9, 2026. The three-day championship featured several disciplines, including straight-course jumping and high jump.
A gray-and-white cat sits outside 10 Downing Street in London.
Henry Nicholls / AFP / Getty
Larry the cat, the chief mouser to the Cabinet Office, poses outside 10 Downing Street, the official residence of Britain’s prime minister, on October 14, 2026.
A handler pets a highland cow during an exhibition.
Jeff J Mitchell / Getty
A handler pets a cow at the 129th Highland Cattle Society autumn show and sale on October 11, 2026, in Oban, Scotland.
An aerial view of a seaside neighborhood with a long and curving pier.
Ulises Ruiz / AFP / Getty
An aerial view of the Zona Romántica (“Romantic Zone”), a tourist district in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco state, Mexico, seen on October 12, 2026
An elevated view of people rafting on a river in a steep valley, surrounded by trees in fall colors
Sergei Gapon / AFP / Getty
Tourists take a traditional rafting trip on the Dunajec River aboard a wooden raft guided by local raftsmen near the village of Sromowce Niżne, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland, on October 13, 2026.

© İlkin Eskipehlivan / Anadolu / Getty

Traditional clothes and designs created by designers from across the Turkic world were showcased during the Cappadocia leg of the ninth Türksoy Women and Ethno-Fashion Meeting in Ürgüp, Nevşehir, Turkey, on October 9, 2026.
Received — 15 October 2026 ⏭

Winners of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026

✇The Atlantic
By: Alan Taylor
15 October 2026 at 17:35
An elephant splashes water toward zebras and a giraffe at a watering hole.
© James Lewin / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
The Meeting Place. Winner, Animals in Their Environment. James Lewin watched a young bull elephant spray a group of zebra as they congregated in the Kenyan Chyulu Hills. Although there was no shortage of subjects and action around this waterhole, James had to deal with the harsh, unforgiving light. He chose to soften the light using a camera converted to infrared, creating this dreamlike scene.
A newt grasps a clutch of eggs that are attached to plant stalks underwater.
© Anton Sorokin / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Protective Pose. Winner, Behavior: Amphibians and Reptiles. Anton Sorokin found a California newt laying its eggs as it clasped vegetation that already held another newt’s egg clutch.
A view of a dividing dam in Utah’s Great Salt Lake, with two different bodies of water seen in varying hues of pink
© Alex Visbal / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
The Great Divide. Winner, Wetlands: The Bigger Picture. Alex Visbal documented how a single engineered line can reshape an entire wetland in Utah’s Great Salt Lake. The distinctive pink color on the left is caused by bright-pink microbes that thrive in extremely saline water, which happens when an area is cut off from a supply of fresh water. The lake’s ecology is in sharp decline because of industrial use, upstream diversions, and climate change. Since this image was taken, the State of Utah has brought the area under conservation management.
A coyote pads along a trail in a park overlooking San Francisco.
© Loren Elliott / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
On the Outskirts. Winner, Photojournalist Story Award. A coyote pads along a trail in Bernal Heights Park, overlooking the city and bay of San Francisco. This individual is part of a resident pack that Loren Elliott observed hunting rodents in the park, which is also popular with people and dogs.
A pair of mating Moray eels, seen against a black background, underwater
© Tony Wu / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Making Morays. Winner, Under Water. Tony Wu provides a first-time glimpse into the mating ritual of Abbott’s moray eels. Wu has been working with biologists to address a knowledge gap of the social behavior of this eel species. Guided only by a dim red-light source to minimize disturbance, and using a customized fisheye camera lens, he has studied this male since 2024 as it visits females that dwell in crevices on the reef.
Two clusters of slime molds—tiny greenish spheres at the end of thin stalks
© Kutub Uddin / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Tiny Dancers. Winner, Portfolio Award. Kutub Uddin reveals a magical and often surreal world of slime molds that can barely be seen with the naked eye. Fine threads, known as capillitium, emerge on the round, yellow-green bodies, which will eventually help disperse reproductive spores.
A dead puma, tied to the top of a fence in a wide-open field
© Francisco Negroni / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Warning Sign. Winner, Photojournalism. Francisco Negroni recorded this scene of a dead puma amid the rugged, windswept beauty of Argentine Patagonia. Tied to the fence and presented as a hunting trophy, this display was one that Francisco had “never witnessed or photographed before.” In 2025, Santa Cruz banned the hunting of pumas, but illegal persecution continues.
An octopus peers out from behind leafy kelp.
© Aaron Sanders / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A Watchful Eye. Winner, Animal Portraits. Aaron Sanders glimpsed a common octopus behind a curtain of kelp in the waters off southwest England. Sanders was diving off Porthkerris Beach when he noticed the footprints of octopus suckers through a thin blade of kelp, and a single eye slowly emerging. “We remained perfectly still, watching one another with a seemingly shared curiosity,” Sanders said.
A swarm of tiny flies hovers near a dung beetle that is pushing a clump of dung.
© Oscar Whitfield / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Labour of Love. Winner, 11-14 Years, Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026. Oscar Whitfield noticed the arduous exertion of this dung beetle pushing its precious cargo. Using a fast shutter speed and high light sensitivity, Oscar lay flat on the ground to photograph the beetle at eye level, with the sunshine and heat creating dry dust all around him.
An overhead view of a whale shark investigating the catch of a mobile net-fishing platform
© Alex Lindbloom / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Night-Time Catch. Winner, Oceans: The Bigger Picture. Alex Lindbloom found a whale shark investigating the catch of a “bagan,” or mobile net-fishing platform, in the inky waters off Papua. Alex started searching for sharks around dawn when the nets were still in the water. Initially lacking natural light for his drone’s camera, he found these sharks illuminated by the bagan’s bright lights.
A pair of shoebill storks carry plant material in their beaks in a wetland area.
© Isak Pretorius / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Scenes from the Swamp. Winner, Behaviour: Birds. Isak Pretorius chanced across two elusive shoebill storks among wetland vegetation. Exploring the swamp in a narrow canoe with a guide, Isak felt exceptionally lucky to see not one but two shoebills. The birds pulled out vegetation, dropped it, and then repeated the process several times. It’s likely that this was a breeding pair gathering nesting material.
An adult elephant carries the lifeless body of an elephant calf with its trunk and tusks.
© Federico Veronesi / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
The Aftermath. Winner, Behavior: Mammals, and Overall Winner, Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026. Federico Veronesi witnessed this powerful moment of an elephant carrying a dead calf, a rare glimpse into complex animal behaviors. Veronesi was tracking elephants when he came across an unusual pattern of drag marks in the sand of a dry riverbed. The source became clear when he caught up with a family group. A female emerged with the calf, its leg wedged between her tusk and trunk. Behaviors centering on death have been observed in both Asian and African elephants, including vocalizations, guarding the dead, inspecting and handling bones, and carrying the deceased. Some researchers suggest these behaviors could indicate an elephant’s journey to understanding death, while others interpret these actions as possible displays of grief.
A flock of flying birds appears blurred against a backdrop of bare birch trees.
© Michał Michalski / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Escape Artistry. Winner, Natural Artistry. Michał Michalski used a slow shutter speed to create the illusion of trees still swathed in autumn foliage. Michalski was in a field of unharvested sunflowers that had attracted mixed flocks of birds, especially goldfinches and bramblings. As they took to the sky, startled by a sparrowhawk, Michalski blurred the movement against a backdrop of leafless birches.
A scorpion kicks up grains of sand as it burrows in the desert at night.
© Sitaram Raul / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Shifting Sand. Winner, Behavior: Invertebrates. Sitaram Raul encountered a scorpion burrowing into one of the shifting dunes of the Thar Desert in India. Exploring the dunes at night near the village of Sam, Raul saw many scorpions searching for prey. But as sunrise approached, they started burrowing to avoid the intense heat. Raul timed the exposure so that the excavated sand was suspended in midair.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum in London. Captions are provided by the photographers and WPY organizers, and are lightly edited for style.

© © James Lewin / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

“The Meeting Place.” Winner, Animals in Their Environment. James Lewin watched a young bull elephant spray a group of zebras as they congregated in the Kenyan Chyulu Hills.
Received — 13 October 2026 ⏭

Photos: Fall Is in the Air

✇The Atlantic
By: Alan Taylor
13 October 2026 at 20:53
A bull moose walks through shrubs, some showing fall colors.
Stan Grossfeld / The Boston Globe / Getty
A bull moose emerges from the deep woods somewhere in northern Maine, on September 26, 2026.
Trees display autumn colors on a mountainside.
VCG / Getty
Trees display autumn colors in Huanggangliang, in China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, on September 18, 2026.
A person shows the effort on their face as they paddle a giant pumpkin to the finish line of a race.
Ellen Schmidt / AP
Laura Fairchild paddles a giant pumpkin to the finish line in the Pumpkin Regatta, part of the annual Harvest Fest in Stillwater, Minnesota, on October 11, 2026.
Two children run into a corn maze.
Libby March / The Buffalo News / Getty
Siblings Charlotte and E. J. Taylor run into the corn maze at Bippert’s Farms outside Buffalo, New York, on September 27, 2026.
Fall colors appear among low shrubs along a mountain path.
Annika Hammerschlag / AP
Fall colors along a hiking path in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, near Mazama, Washington, on October 8, 2026
Spiderwebs glisten in a meadow against the backlight of the rising sun.
Thomas Warnack / DPA / Getty
Spiderwebs in a meadow glisten in the early-morning light, in Uttenweiler, Germany, on September 26, 2026.
A person wearing waders fishes at the base of a broad waterfall.
Anna Moneymaker / Getty
A person fishes at the base of Ithaca Falls in Ithaca, New York, on October 12, 2026.
A red squirrel peeks out from behind a mossy tree trunk.
Gerd Harder / DPA / Reuters
A red squirrel peeks out from behind a mossy tree trunk, somewhere in Germany, on October 8, 2026.
Visitors take photos of a 'King Kong' figure made of pumpkins.
Markus Schreiber / AP
Visitors take photos of a King Kong figure made of pumpkins and wood at the “Pumpkin Goes to Hollywood” exhibition at the Asparagus and Adventure Farm in Klaistow, near Berlin, Germany, on September 17, 2026.
A shepherd leads a herd of alpacas down a mountain path.
Fabrice Coffrini / AFP / Getty
Alpacas follow a shepherd during the traditional Alpabzug, in German, or Désalpe, in French, a Swiss festival to mark the return of herds from mountain pastures, in the Griesalp area above Kiental, on September 22, 2026.
A man in a cowboy hat casts a shadow on a giant pumpkin.
Benjamin Fanjoy / Getty
Brian Evans with his family’s entry at the 53rd Annual World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off on October 12, 2026, in Half Moon Bay, California
A cyclist rides on a broad mountain trail past trees in autumn colors.
Larry Clouse / CSM / ZUMA Press Wire / Reuters
A cyclist rides the Golden Gravel Trail through brilliant autumn colors along the western slope of the Great Divide in the Uncompahgre National Forest, near Paradox, Colorado, on September 24, 2026.
A historic riverside building, covered in Virginia creeper that has started to change into red autumnal colors
Peter Byrne / PA Images / Getty
The Tu Hwnt I’r Bont Tea Rooms is covered in bright Virginia creeper, in Llanrwst, North Wales, on October 2, 2026.
A child looks for a pumpkin among hundreds spread out over a field.
Jim Franco / Albany Times Union / Getty
Benjamin Bojadzija looks for the perfect pumpkin at Engelke Farm in Troy, New York, on October 7, 2026.
The Northern Lights light up the sky above the ruins of a castle.
Owen Humphreys / PA Images / Getty
The northern lights above the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle, on the Northumberland coast of England, on October 11, 2026
Two cyclists ride past a bellowing deer stag.
Brook Mitchell / Getty
A deer stag bellows at sunrise during the annual rut in Richmond Park, London, on October 8, 2026.
Sunflowers and purple flowers cover a field, seen under a partly-cloudy sky.
Patrick Pleul / DPA / Getty
Sunflowers and purple-flowering phacelia glow in the autumn sun in a field near Jacobsdorf, Germany, on October 12, 2026.
An aerial view of a wide mountain slope covered in fall-colored trees
Lokman Vural Elibol / Anadolu / Getty
An aerial view of vibrant red, orange, and yellow leaves transforming the landscape in Westmore, Vermont, on October 3, 2026
Five beets, carved like Jack-o'-lanterns
Thomas Warnack / DPA / Getty
Illuminated “beet ghosts” outside a house in Riedlingen, Germany, on October 11, 2026. The fall tradition uses the vegetable as pumpkins are used for jack-o’-lanterns.
A heron flies over a foggy river.
Thomas Warnack / DPA / Getty
A grey heron flies above the Danube in morning fog near Riedlingen, Germany, on October 11, 2026.
A person tosses autumn leaves into the air.
Joaquin Corchero / Europa Press / Getty
A person tosses autumn leaves into the air in Seville, in the Andalusia region of Spain, on September 23, 2026.

© Stan Grossfeld / The Boston Globe / Getty

A bull moose emerges from the deep woods somewhere in northern Maine, on September 26, 2026.
Received — 9 October 2026 ⏭

Photos of the Week: Sleep Competition, Foggy Landscape, Virtual Tae Kwon Do

✇The Atlantic
By: Alan Taylor
9 October 2026 at 15:00
A person stands close to a huge circular curved mirror, their face magnified and distorted in the reflection.
Kin Cheung / AP
A visitor looks into a mirror, the “Inverse Reverse Perverse” installation by Cerith Wyn Evans, during a media preview of “The 90s: Art and Fashion” exhibition at Tate Britain in London on October 6, 2026.
A gymnast leaps high in the air, their head tilted so far back. It appears to be missing.
Edgar Su / Reuters
Japan’s Mirano Kita competes in the women’s individual all-around rhythmic gymnastics final at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, on October 3, 2026.
A tennis player yells in celebration.
Achmad Ibrahim / AP
China’s Zheng Qinwen celebrates after defeating Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic, during the third round of the women’s singles match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing on October 5, 2026.
A stag lifts its head and bellows.
Alastair Grant / AP
A stag bellows during the rutting season in Bushy Park, London, on October 5, 2026.
A woman holds a small dog that barks as it is sprinkled with holy water.
Franklin Jacome / Agencia Press South / Getty
A woman holds a dog while a priest sprinkles holy water during a blessing-of-pets ceremony at Plaza de San Francisco on October 3, 2026, in downtown Quito, Ecuador.
A girl carries a large rabbit, holding it during a pet-blessing ceremony.
Esteban Felix / AP
A girl carries her rabbit for a pet-blessing ceremony at the Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi in Santiago, Chile, on October 4, 2026.
A leashed dog sits on a sidewalk, its fur dyed in multiple bright colors.
Dimitar Dilkoff / AFP / Getty
A dog whose coat has been dyed using multiple colors sits on a street corner in central Paris on October 8, 2026.
A drone explodes in a fireball between two tall bridge supports.
Valentyn Ogirenko / Reuters
A Russian jet-powered drone strikes a bridge in Kyiv, Ukraine, on October 2, 2026.
Ukrainian soldiers drive a truck down a road covered in anti-drone netting.
Reuters
Servicemen of the 141st Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces drive a vehicle on a road covered with anti-drone nets near the front line in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region on October 2, 2026.
A long-lens view of a busy and crowded street in New York City.
Charly Triballeau / AFP / Getty
Pedestrians and cars move along Broadway in the Manhattan borough of New York City on October 7, 2026.
A woman looks out at the illuminated Petronas Twin Towers from a high-rise building.
I-Hwa Cheng / AFP / Getty
A woman looks out at the Petronas Twin Towers from a high-rise building in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on October 6, 2026.
Two people hold traditional hand-held fireworks during a festival, with sparks raining down on them.
Yasuyoshi Chiba / Getty
Participants with traditional handheld tezutsu fireworks during the annual festival at Hada Hachimangu Shrine on October 3, 2026, in Toyohashi, Japan.
A demonstrator walks past burning trash cans during a protest.
Emilio Morenatti / AP
A person walks past burning trash cans in Barcelona, Spain, set ablaze by protesters after clashes with police during a demonstration over the country’s housing crisis, on October 5, 2026.
Waitstaff celebrate with sparklers at the Oktoberfest closing party.
Felix Hörhager / DPA / Getty
Waitstaff celebrate with sparklers at the Oktoberfest closing party in the Hofbräu Festzelt tent at the Theresienwiese in Munich, Germany, on October 4, 2026.
Two athletes wearing virtual reality goggles kick as they compete in a 'virtual taekwondo' event.
David Gray / AFP / Getty
Iran’s Amirsina Bakhtiari (left) competes against Uzbekistan’s Jasurbek Jaysunov in the mixed individual virtual tae kwon do round of 16 at the 2026 Asian Games in Toyohashi, Japan, on October 2, 2026.
People watch as two humanoid robots fight.
Edgar Su / Reuters
EngineAI T800 robots fight during the ARC League’s humanoid combat competition in Singapore on October 7, 2026.
Three soldiers are seen in silhouette against a blue sky.
Mauro Pimentel / AFP / Getty
Army soldiers provide security at Ipanema Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, during the presidential election on October 4, 2026.
A small commuter train travels through a foggy landscape.
Michael Probst / AP
A regional train passes foggy valleys in Wehrheim, near Frankfurt, Germany, on October 2, 2026.
A close view of a miniature scale model of a person looking under the hood of an older car.
Hendrik Schmidt / DPA / Getty
The Thuringia Plastic-Model-Building Club’s booth at a hobby fair in Leipzig, Germany, features a miniature display on everyday life in the former East Germany (including a Trabant parked next to a gas station) on October 2, 2026.
A protester dressed as an electronic voting machine holds up a placard reading 'I have been hacked.'
Francis Mascarenhas / Reuters
A person dressed as an electronic voting machine holds a placard at a protest in Mumbai, India, demanding the resignation of the country’s chief election commissioner, on October 4, 2026.
A six-rotor drone carries a takeaway delivery bag over residential buildings.
Cheng Xin / Getty
A drone carries a yellow takeout-food-delivery bag above residential buildings in Shenzhen, China, on October 4, 2026.
A helicopter chases a rally race car as it kicks up dust on a dirt road.
McKlein Photography / LAT Images / Getty
Jon Armstrong competes in his Ford Puma Rally1 at Rally Italia Sardegna, FIA World Rally Championship, on October 4, 2026, in Olbia, Italy.
A man watches a storm sweep across a harbor.
Jeremy Piper / Reuters
A man watches a storm sweep across Narrabeen Beach in Sydney, Australia, on October 3, 2026.
An elevated view of a line of fire burning across fields and forest, with one burning palm tree prominent at center.
Edmar Barros / AP
Wildfires spread near the municipality of Iranduba, in Brazil’s Amazonas state, on October 2, 2026.
A small wildfire burns near residential buildings.
Ernesto Benavides / AFP / Getty
Firefighting vehicles at a fire on the Costa Verde cliffs, in the Miraflores district of Lima, Peru, on October 4, 2026
A gazelle walks through dunes near Dubai.
Fadel Senna / AFP / Getty
An Arabian sand gazelle walks through dunes in the Dubai suburbs on October 3, 2026.
People take photographs standing in a field of blooming pink grass.
Chen Haiwei / VCG / Getty
Tourists view blooming pink grass at Sanhewan Park on October 7, 2026, in Huzhou, Zhejiang province, China.
More than a dozen people lie in individual numbered beds during a sleep competition.
Takashi Aoyama / Getty
Contestants at a sleep competition on October 5, 2026, in Tokyo, Japan. Participants’ sleep quality, depth, and stability were monitored during a 90-minute challenge, with the winner receiving 2.22 million yen ($14,100).

© Kin Cheung / AP

A visitor looks into a mirror, the “Inverse Reverse Perverse” installation by Cerith Wyn Evans, during a media preview of “The 90s: Art and Fashion exhibition” at Tate Britain in London on October 6, 2026.
Received — 7 October 2026 ⏭

Photos: The Student Protests in France

✇The Atlantic
By: Alan Taylor
7 October 2026 at 18:09
People gather on and around a large statue in Paris during a student protest.
Dimitar Dilkoff / AFP / Getty
People gather on and around a statue in the center of Place de la République at the end of a demonstration on a day of nationwide protests organized by high-school students and joined by unions and teachers, who for days have been demanding better learning conditions, in Paris, on October 6, 2026.
A large crowd of protesting students carrying many hand-made signs
Stephane Mahe / Reuters
French high-school and university students attend a demonstration on a nationwide day of protests and blockades, in Nantes on October 6, 2026. Demonstrators are voicing their anger over overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages, underinvestment, dilapidated school buildings, recent police actions, and more.
Riot police watch a fire at a makeshift barricade set up by protesters in a city street.
Olivier Chassignole / AFP / Getty
Riot police watch a fire at a makeshift barricade set up by protesters during a demonstration organized by high-school students in Lyon on October 6, 2026.
A group of riot police in full gear run down a street. One hurdles a toppled garbage bin.
Philippe Lopez / AFP / Getty
Riot police charge protesters at the end of a student demonstration in Bordeaux on October 6, 2026.
Student protesters, including one wearing a pigeon mask, push on the shields of several riot police.
Lou Benoist / AFP / Getty
Riot police face protesting students who carry out a blockade outside Lycée Le Corbusier, in Aubervilliers, Paris, on October 1, 2026.
A riot police officer in full gear, holding a baton, stands much taller than a young person they are detaining.
Jean-Christophe Verhaegen / AFP / Getty
A youth is detained by a riot police officer in Nancy on October 5, 2026.
Student protesters stand together in a street behind a makeshift barricade of garbage bins and scaffolding.
Tom Nicholson / Getty
Students block the road outside Sciences Po during a protest on October 7, 2026, in Paris.
Protesting students gather and hold placards as they blockade part of a school.
Lou Benoist / AFP / Getty
Protesting students gather and hold placards as they blockade part of Lycée Turgot in Paris on October 5, 2026.
A high-school principal stands outside a school building beside damaged doors and debris, after a protest.
Yves Herman / Reuters
Carole Zerbib, the principal of Lycée Vauquelin, talks with journalists in front of the school’s damaged entrance doors and a pile of bicycles and garbage bins set on fire by protesters, in Paris, on October 5, 2026.
Students protesters tear down a traffic light.
Jean-Francois Badias / AP
Students tear down a traffic light next to Lycée César Baggio, which was blocked in protest of the government’s release of next year’s draft budget, in Lille, on September 29, 2026.
A police officer, one of three officers in riot gear, aims a riot-control weapon.
Christophe Archambault / AFP / Getty
A police officer aims a riot-control weapon during a demonstration in Bordeaux on October 6, 2026.
Protesters walk away from a cloud of tear gas.
Yves Herman / Reuters
Protesters walk through tear gas amid clashes at Place de la Nation during a demonstration in Paris on October 6, 2026.
Police officers spray protesting students with pepper spray.
Thibault Camus / AP
Police officers spray students with pepper spray near Sciences Po as they protest under-resourced schools, in Paris on October 7, 2026.
A protesting student reacts beside a burning barricade in a street.
Ed Jones / AFP / Getty
A student protester stands beside a barricade near Lycée Déodat de Séverac in Toulouse on October 1, 2026.
A student protester falls as they are detained by many riot police officers surrounding them.
Sarah Meyssonnier / Reuters
Riot police detain a protester on the Boulevard Saint-Germain during a demonstration outside Sciences Po in Paris on October 7, 2026.
Riot police officers stand in a street as fireworks go off above them.
Olivier Chassignole / AFP / Getty
Riot police officers stand as fireworks go off above them during a demonstration in Lyon on October 6, 2026.
A student protester wearing a face mask walks, holding their head; cloud of tear gas is in the background.
Ed Jones / AFP / Getty
Protesters shield themselves from tear gas fired by riot police during a demonstration in Toulouse on October 6, 2026.
A large crowd of protesters marches on a tree-lined avenue.
Ed Jones / AFP / Getty
Protesters march during part of a nationwide protest movement, in Toulouse, on October 6, 2026.
Protesters march while chanting. One, at the center, holds a megaphone.
Ed Jones / AFP / Getty
Protesters rally in Toulouse on October 6, 2026.
Protesting students raise their hands in front of riot police officers.
Tom Nicholson / Getty
Students raise their hands in front of riot police officers as they demonstrate outside Sciences Po on October 7, 2026, in Paris.
Protesting students chant in front of a blockaded high school.
on Thibault Camus / AP
Students chant in front of a blockaded high school as they protest against under-resourced schools, in Paris, on October 7, 2026.

© Dimitar Dilkoff / AFP / Getty

People gather on and around a statue in the center of Place de la République at the end of a demonstration on a day of nationwide protests organized by high-school students and joined by unions and teachers, who for days have been demanding better learning conditions, in Paris, on October 6, 2026.
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