Brent Stephenson / Three King penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) in light drizzle with a faint rainbow in the background, St Andrew's Bay, South Georgia, South Atlantic, January.

Brent Stephenson / Southern royal albatross (Diomedea epomophora) flying low over the sea, off Stewart Island, New Zealand, November, Vulnerable species.

Floris van Breugel / A hot spring in the West Thumb Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. The colors are a result of thermophilic bacteria living in the hot springs. December 2010.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Amphipods (Amphipoda) living on a salp (Salpidae), Scotland, UK, July.

Brent Stephenson / Large numbers of chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarcticus) gather on the beach below their breeding colony Deception Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, January.

Brent Stephenson / Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) sleeping, Mikkelsen Harbour, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica, January.

Brent Stephenson / King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) shaking itself, with brood patch visible, St Andrew's Bay, South Georgia, South Atlantic, January.

Brent Stephenson / Leucistic Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella) pup on rock, Elsehul, South Georgia, South Atlantic, January.

Brent Stephenson / Young Jack Russell terrier running across a field carrying a blue ball in his mouth, Redbrook, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK, August.

Brent Stephenson / Wheki / Rough tree fern (Dicksonia squarrosa) frond unfuling, Ulva Island, Stewart Island, New Zealand, November.

Birgitte Wilms / Decorator Crab (Camposcia retusa) covers itself with sponges and other living organisms as camouflage, Papua New Guinea

Edwin Giesbers / Ecotoxicologists sampling aquatic invertebrates in trial ditches exposed to thiacloprid, a neonicotinoid. Organisms found to be 2500 times more sensitive to the insecticide in the natural environment...

Edwin Giesbers / Ecotoxicologist conducting research into impact of thiacloprid, a neonicotinoid, on aquatic organisms. Organisms found to be 2500 times more sensitive to the insecticide in the natural environment tha...

Edwin Giesbers / Ecotoxicologist conducting research in laboratory into impact of thiacloprid, a neonicotinoid, on aquatic organisms. Organisms found to be 2500 times more sensitive to the insecticide in the natural e...

Edwin Giesbers / Ecotoxicologists conducting research in laboratory into impact of thiacloprid, a neonicotinoid, on aquatic organisms. Organisms found to be 2500 times more sensitive to the insecticide in the natural...

Edwin Giesbers / Ecotoxicologist conducting research in laboratory into impact of the neonicotinoid thiacloprid on aquatic organisms. Organisms found to be 2500 times more sensitive to the insecticide in the natural e...

Edwin Giesbers / Sample of Insects held by ecotoxicologist conducting research into impact of thiacloprid, a neonicotinoid. Organisms found to be 2500 times more sensitive to the insecticide in the natural environment...

Edwin Giesbers / Sample of Insects from emergence trap over trial ditch exposed to thiacloprid, a neonicotinoid. Organisms found to be 2500 times more sensitive to the insecticide in the natural environment than in a...