Alex Hyde / Chlorophyte or green alga (Volvox aureus) in pond water. UK. The larger spheres are approximately 0.5mm in diameter. Digital composite image.
01508793
Pal Hermansen / Composite of flying butterflies (Lepidoptera) on sphere.
01390646
Charlie Summers / The transit of Venus across the face of the sun, with visible sunspots, as seen from Aurora, Colorado, USA, 19.51 local time, 5 June 2012.
01356909
Jeff Wilson / View through the porthole of science teams and Frozen Planet film crew working on the sea ice in the Bering Sea, Alaska, USA, March 2008. The film crew were in search of Spectacled eider ducks, temper...
01356838
Jeff Wilson / Sun Dog, or Parhelion, caused by refraction of the sun's rays, more commonly seen in Antarctica, above glacier, Dry Valleys, Antarctica, December 2009. Taken on location for the BBC series, Frozen Pla...
01343765
Steve Nicholls / 360 degree panoramic photosphere of a Beech wood, Buckholt forest, Glos, UK
Juergen Freund / Blue sea star on massive Boulder coral (Gardineroseris planulata) North Sulawesi, Indonesia. This coral species is normally found from the Red Sea to Central America, and is relatively uncommon in the...
01346906
Juergen Freund / Large round Brain coral (Platygyra lamellina) on coral reef, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.
01346905
Juergen Freund / Large round Brain coral (Platygyra lamellina) on coral reef, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.
01332378
Juergen Freund / School of Yellow line scads (Selaroides leptolepis) and diver, Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January 2010. Model released.
01332418
Juergen Freund / Featherstar (Comantheria briareus) on red fancoral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.
01346488
Juergen Freund / Pearl held in hand at Jewelmer Pearlfarm - golden South Sea Pearl from pearl oyster (Pinctada maxima) Palawan, Philippines, May 2009
01288821
Stephen Dalton / Water droplet dropping onto water
01244808
Tim Laman / The moon, one or two days after full. Caroni Bird Sanctuary, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago. 14th February 2006
01210320
Andy Sands / Common Poppy (Papaver rhoeas) Individual flower, Hertfordshire, England, UK
01147755
Tony Heald / Circle round the sun, optical effect of high level ice crystals, around midday, Chobe NP, Botswana
01591678
Ashley Cooper / Peas in a pod.
01541929
Martin Gabriel / Rounded boulder with crack, Erebuni State Reserve near Yerevan, Armenia
01533728
Pal Hermansen / Spherical stone on Champ Island, Franz Josef Land, Russia, July 2004.
01515468
Franco Banfi / Blue jack mackerel, (Trachurus picturatus) baitball, Formigas Islet dive site, Azores, Portugal, Atlantic Ocean
01518104
Juan Carlos Munoz / Boruca woman with stone spheres, created by the ancestors of indigenous Boruca peopla, Costa Rica. December 2014.
01477913
Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Self portrait of photographer Cherry Alexander in the reflection of the metallic sphere at the ceremonial South Pole, Antarctica.
01477912
Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Photographer Cherry Alexander at the ceremonial South Pole, Antarctica.
01405917
Andy Trowbridge / RF- Moeraki Boulder / Kaihinaki on Koekohe Beach at sunrise. 60 Million year old mudstone concretions. Moeraki, Waitaki District, Otago Region, South Island, New Zealand. January, 2012. (This image ma...
01390660
Charlie Summers / The transit of Venus across the face of the sun, with visible sunspots, as seen from Aurora, Colorado, USA, 16.24 local time, 5 June 2012.
01390659
Charlie Summers / The transit of Venus across the face of the sun, with visible sunspots, as seen from Aurora, Colorado, USA, 18.01 local time, 5 June 2012.
01390658
Juergen Freund / Transit of the planet Venus acros the Sun, projected onto hand, Cairns, North Queensland, Australia, 11:41 local time, 6 June 2012.
01390657
Juergen Freund / Transit of the planet Venus acros the Sun, taken from Cairns, North Queensland, Australia, image taken with use of a BAADER filter, 09.43 local time, 6 June 2012.
01390647
Charlie Summers / The transit of Venus across the face of the sun, with visible sunspots, as seen from Aurora, Colorado, USA, 19.49 local time, 5 June 2012.
01390645
Charlie Summers / The transit of Venus across the face of the sun, with visible sunspots, as seen from Aurora, Colorado, USA, 16.33 local time, 5 June 2012.
01390626
Oriol Alamany / Transit of the planet Venus acros the Sun, image taken from Barcelona, Spain, 06.38, 6 June 2012.
01356839
Jeff Wilson / Sun Dog, or Parhelion, visible over tent of film crew, caused by refraction of the sun's rays, more commonly seen in Antarctica, above glacier, Dry Valleys, Antarctica, December 2009. Taken on locatio...
01344325
Nature Production / Sendai salamander (Hynobius nigrescens) in egg, about to hatch, Tochigi, Japan
01344008
Nature Production / Common pill bug / woodlouse (Armadillidium vulgare) rolled up in ball, on white background, Japan
01332417
Juergen Freund / Featherstar (Comantheria briareus) on red fancoral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.
01337779
Florian Möllers / Yellow-bodied spider in her web. Budongo Forest Reserve, Masindi, Uganda, Africa. December
01298026
Colin Varndell / Ivy (Hedera helix) flower, Dorset, UK, October
01289505
Stephen Dalton / Full moon
01260411
Ross Hoddinott / Sun setting over sea at Widemouth bay, nr Bude, Cornwall, UK. April 2009.
01256963
David Shale / Giant ostracod {Gigantocypris mulleri} from between 867 and 1805m, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, North Atlantic Ocean
01256961
David Shale / Giant ostracod {Gigantocypris mulleri} from between 867 and 1805m, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, North Atlantic Ocean
01249486
Konstantin Mikhailov / Ring lichen pattern on rocks on the shore of the White Sea, Karelia, Russia, June 2008.
01245291
Tim Laman / A spider web covered with morning dew and moss covered branches backlit, Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea, January 2008
01221313
Niall Benvie / Pebble from Auchmithie beach, Angus, Scotland, UK
01216916
Luiz Claudio Marigo / Aerial view of Lake Versalles / El Triunfo surrounded by rainforest, Beni Department, Eastern Bolivia.
01215799
Bruno D'Amicis / Large orange sun setting over mountains, Southern Morocco, NW Africa
01212394
Graham Eaton / View of a house spider (Tegenaria gigantea) from inside the drain looking upwards at a face looking down into the tub, UK, January 2008
01210276
Andy Sands / Goats beard (Tragopogon pratensis) Close up of seed head, UK
01209575
Bernard Castelein / Mandala on the outside of Labrang Monastery, Phodong, Sikkim, India
01205138
Ross Hoddinott / RF- Oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) fish-eye lens. Devon, UK. June. (This image may be licensed either as rights managed or royalty free.)
01197593
Jorma Luhta / Full moon at Lunar eclipse, March 2007, Finland
01174512
Niall Benvie / Spore print from a {Russula sp} fungus, Scotland, UK
01173070
Nature Production / Short-beaked Echidna {Tachyglossus aculeatus} curled up, defensive display, Kangaroo Island, Australia
01172818
Nature Production / Freshwater Bryozoan {Pectinatella magnifica}
01169125
Michael Pitts / Aerial view of island with Coconut palm trees, San Blas Islands, Caribbean coast, Panama 2006
01148716
Rod Williams / Mayotte brown lemur pair {Eulemur fulvus mayottensis} female on right, male on left, captive, from Comoro Island, Madagascar
01154794
Simon Colmer / Marguerite / Oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) UK
01147754
Tony Heald / Circle round the Sun, optical effect of high level ice crystals, around midday, Chobe NP, Botswana.
01142334
Philip Dalton / Pill Woodlouse (Armadillidium vulgare) Rolled up in defensive ball, UK. Articulated skin plates - armour
01138573
Jane Burton / Spawn of Common Frog (Rana temporaria) with tadpoles starting to develop each within its sphere of jelly
01127743
Doug Wechsler / Floating lily pad leaf of American lotus {Nelumbo lutea} Mannington marsh, New Jersey, USA.
01129741
Doug Wechsler / View of crops in an irrigation circle, Panhandle, Texas, USA.
01083906
TOM WALMSLEY / Smooth newt just hatched {Triturus vulgaris} & absorbed jelly vitelline sphere UK
01111306
Pete Oxford / Koryak beadwork Kamchatka peninsula, Russia
01111305
Pete Oxford / Koryak beadwork Kamchatka peninsula, Russia
01066417
Mark Payne-Gill / Two Three banded armadillos {Tolypeutes tricinctus} rolled up in a ball for defense, captive
01216019
Kerstin Hinze / Bloody Lily (Scadoxus haemanthus) South Africa
01210028
Eric Baccega / Head portrait of Great grey owl (Strix nebulosa) Captive, France
Claudio Contreras / Rainbow hedgehog cactus (Echinocereus rigidissimus) close up, Los Ojos Ranch, Sonora, Mexico.
01711451
Andy Sands / Slime mould (Comatricha nigra) four mature sporangia ready to release spores growing among fungal mat on rotting log, Buckinghamshire, England, UK. December. Focus stacked.
01711449
Andy Sands / Slime mould (Cribraria argillacea) group of developing sporangia on rotten log, Buckinghamshire, England, UK. June. Focus stacked.
01725469
Joel Sartore / Photo Ark / Cannonball jellyfish (Stomolophus meleagris) portrait, Gulf Specimen Marine Lab and Aquarium, Florida. Captive.
01725467
Joel Sartore / Photo Ark / Black sea urchin (Arbacia lixula) portrait, Aquarium Berlin. Captive.
01725466
Joel Sartore / Photo Ark / Black sea urchin (Arbacia lixula) portrait, Aquarium Berlin. Captive.
01711477
Andy Sands / Slime mould (Comatricha nigra) four sporangia in a line growing among fungal mat on rotting log, Buckinghamshire, England, UK. November. Focus stacked.
01711476
Andy Sands / Slime mould (Comatricha nigra) group of sporangia growing in circular formation, Buckinghamshire, England, UK. November. Focus stacked.
01711475
Andy Sands / Slime mould (Comatricha nigra) sporangia with water droplets on a rotting log, Buckinghamshire, England, UK. November. Focus stacked.
01711474
Andy Sands / Slime mould (Comatricha nigra) very tall (3mm) sporangia beginning to mature, Buckinghamshire, England, UK. September. Focus stacked.
01711473
Andy Sands / Slime mould (Comatricha nigra) very tall (3mm) sporangia beginning to mature, Buckinghamshire, England, UK. September. Focus stacked.
01711472
Andy Sands / Slime mould (Comatricha nigra) early stage sporangia beginning to mature, Buckinghamshire, England, UK. September. Focus stacked.
01711454
Andy Sands / Slime mould (Lamproderma arcyrionema) three sporangia, 1mm tall, super close up showing the collar and skin up the stems, Buckinghamshire, England, UK. September. Focus stacked.
01715104
Nigel Cattlin / Honey bees (Apis mellifera) swarming around a Queen bee on garden fence rail in late spring, Berkshire, UK. May.
01712206
David Fleetham / Yellowspotted burrfish (Cyclichthys spilostylus) portrait, Red Sea, Egypt.
01706136
Joel Sartore / Photo Ark / Ball cucumber (Sclerodactyla briareus) portrait, Gulf Specimen Marine Lab and Aquarium.
01706135
Joel Sartore / Photo Ark / Ball cucumber (Sclerodactyla briareus) portrait, Gulf Specimen Marine Lab and Aquarium.
01705418
David Fleetham / Schooling Convict fish / Convict blennies (Pholidichthys leucotaenia) juveniles, in a tight ball formation, Philippines, Pacific Ocean.
01704981
Alex Hyde / Eggs of Salmon slime mould (Trichia decipiens) fruiting bodies covering a moss-covered Oak limb. Each orange sphere seen here is approximately 0.7mm across, Padley Gorge, Derbyshire, UK. November.
01696437
David Fleetham / An inflated Guineafowl pufferfish (Arothron meleagris) in front of sea fans (Gorgonia sp.) on a reef wall, Fiji, Pacific Ocean.
01692469
Ashley Cooper / Cave pearls and pool formations, Spar Cave, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK. October.
01692776
David Fleetham / Spherical colony of Lettuce coral (Turbinaria reniformis) on seabed, Fiji, Pacific Ocean.
01339415
Yves Lanceau / Fawn shield cap fungus (Pluteus cervinus) showing spore dispersal pattern over 24 hours on black card
01655279
Nigel Cattlin / Allium stipitatum 'Mount Everest' spherical white crowded umbel of small flowers in late spring , May, garden flower, Berkshire
