The Most Surprising Photos of 2013

1 minute read

While the culture of social media did its best to ensure that 2013 had its fair share of entertaining, surprising and, above all, shareable photo moments, ultimately the past twelve months included as many genuinely shocking as surprising pictures. The year left us in varying states of outrage, bewilderment, bemusement and astonishment.

But there were some wonderfully unexpected and unusual images—a shark inside a shark and selfies with the Pope to a bear on a tightrope and a bundle of baby pandas—that delighted, enthralled and distracted us. Here, LightBox looks back over the past twelve months and presents a selection of underreported, improbable and astounding images that caught the attention of TIME’s photo editors—and which, we trust, maintain their ability to utterly, thoroughly surprise.


Phil Bicker is a senior photo editor at TIME.


Sydney Festival's giant Rubber Duck installation
Jan. 3, 2013. A giant Rubber Duck installation in Darling Harbour, Australia, the latest incarnation of artist Florentijn Hofman's famous oversized toy which measures 15m high and 18m wide.Damian Shaw—EPA
Tammy Holmes, second from left, and her grandchildren, two-year-old Charlotte Walker, left, four-year-old Esther Walker, third from left, nine-year-old Liam Walker, eleven-year-old Matilda, second from right, and six-year-old Caleb Walker, right, photographed by their grandfather as they take refuge under a jetty as a wildfire rages nearby in the Tasmanian town of Dunalley, east of the state capital of Hobart, Australia on Jan. 4, 2013.
Jan. 4, 2013. Tammy Holmes, second from left, and her grandchildren, two-year-old Charlotte Walker, left, four-year-old Esther Walker, third from left, nine-year-old Liam Walker, eleven-year-old Matilda, second from right, and six-year-old Caleb Walker, right, photographed by their grandfather as they take refuge under a jetty as a wildfire rages nearby in the Tasmanian town of Dunalley, east of the state capital of Hobart, Australia. Tim Holmes—AP
Lions in their enclosure react as tourists throw snowballs at them in the Hangzhou Zoo in Hangzhou, China on Jan. 6, 2013.
Jan. 6, 2013. Lions in their enclosure react as tourists throw snowballs at them in the Hangzhou Zoo in Hangzhou, China.ChinaFotoPress—Zuma Press
Czech artist and composer and candidate for the Czech presidency Vladimr Franz
Jan. 4, 2013. Vladimr Franz, Czech artist and composer and candidate for the Czech presidency, attends a public pre-election debate in Prague.Filip Singer—EPA
Spiderman Cleans the Windows
Jan. 10, 2013. Sao Doan watches her mom Tiffany Ringer snap a photo of Spider-Man (aka Merrill Hunt of Clearwater) as he washes her window at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida.Cherie Diez—Tampa Bay Times/Zuma Press
An employee wearing a panda costume slides down from an ice sculpture during the Harbin International Ice and Snow World festival in Harbin
Jan. 11, 2013. An employee wearing a panda costume slides down from an ice sculpture during the Harbin International Ice and Snow World Festival in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China.Sheng Li—Reuters
Hurricane Sandy aftermath in Staten Island, New York
Jan. 15, 2013. The claw of a demolition vehicle brings down Doreen Lagno's house, which was irreparably damaged by flood waters during Hurricane Sandy, in the Ocean Breeze neighborhood of Staten Island, New York.Justin Lane—EPA
General view of the entrance of a tunnel dug by thieves leading to the safe deposit room of a bank in Berlin
Jan. 17, 2013. The entrance of a 100-foot tunnel dug by thieves to access the safe deposit room of a bank in Berlin. Robbers dug from a nearby underground parking garage into a branch of Berliner Volksbank and stole the contents of several hundred safe-deposit boxes.Fabrizio Bensch—Reuters
Jarramplas Festival Held In Piornal
Jan. 20, 2013. People throw turnips at the Jarramplas as he makes his way through the streets beating his drum during the Jarramplas Festival in Piornal, Spain.Pablo Blazquez Dominguez—Getty Images
A man holds two burned birds after a fire went off in a compound for homeless Libyan families in Benghazi
Jan. 22, 2013. A man holds two burned birds after a fire went off in a compound for homeless Libyan families in Benghazi.Esam Al-Fetori—Reuters
Orthodox priest blesses rifles during a ceremony where new recruits receive their weapons at a military base of Belarussian Interior Ministry in Minsk
Jan. 23, 2013. An Orthodox priest blesses rifles during a ceremony where new recruits receive their weapons at a military base of the Belarussian Interior Ministry in Minsk. The traditional ceremony was attended by 325 Belarussian recruits, and is held a month after the recruits take their military oath.Vasily Fedosenko—Reuters
BRITAIN-TOYS-FAIR
Jan. 23, 2013. "The Joker" toy is displayed at the London Toy Fair in Olympia, central London.Carl Court—AFP/Getty Images
YE  Mideast Iran
Jan. 24, 2013. Authorities carry out the court-ordered amputation of the fingers of a convicted thief in a public square in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz, Iran. The 29-year-old man was convicted for being part of a 10-member gang that carried out burglaries in the city. He was sentenced to the amputation of three fingers, the confiscation of his property and three years in prison.Mohsen Tavarro—AP
UKRAINE-CIRCUS-FEATURES
Jan. 24, 2013. A Ukrainian National Circus artist performs with dogs during a presentation of the new program in Kiev, Ukraine.Sergei Supinsky—AFP/Getty Images
Superstorm Sandy
Jan. 24, 2013. Parking meters stand out from sand dunes at an amusement park and boardwalk in Seaside Heights, N.J., which was devastated last fall by Superstorm Sandy.Marko Georgiev—The Record of Bergen County/AP
A fly lands on the head of U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House in Washington
Jan. 24, 2013. A fly lands between the eyes of U.S. President Barack Obama while he speaks in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington.Larry Downing—Reuters
YE Britain Royals Coronation
Jan. 24, 2013. The outfit worn by the two-year-old Princess Anne at Britain's Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation on June 2, 1953, is seen during a photo opportunity at the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace in central London.Lefteris Pitarakis—AP
SURFING THE WORLD'S BIGGEST WAVE
Jan. 28, 2013. US surfer Garrett McNamara rides a wave off Praia do Norte beach in Nazare, Portugal.To Mane—Barcroft Media/Landov
A cut-out figure of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands is placed in front of OranjeMuseum in 's-Gravendeel
Jan. 29, 2013. A cut-out figure of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands is placed in front of OranjeMuseum in 's-Gravendeel, Netherlands.Michael Kooren—Reuters
A man uses a spa cover to move a TV set through floodwaters at Cornubia
Jan. 29. 2013. A man uses a spa cover to move a TV set through floodwaters at Cornubia, Queensland, Australia.Reuters
Blood stains are seen on snow at the site of a plane crash outside Almaty
Jan. 29, 2013. Blood stains are seen on snow at the site of a plane crash outside Almaty, Kazakhstan. The passenger plane crashed in thick fog near Kazakhstan's commercial capital Almaty and broke into pieces when it hit the ground, killing all 21 people on board.Reuters
YE  Cambodia Sihanouk
Jan. 31, 2013. A woman sits in prayer while her head is shaved to mourn the late Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk ahead of his funeral in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.Wong Maye-E—AP
Masha, an 11 year-old bear from a travelling circus troupe based in Moscow, practises a tightrope walking act during rehearsals at the Circus on Fontanka in St.Petersburg
Feb. 1, 2013. Masha, an 11-year-old bear from a traveling circus troupe based in Moscow, practices a tightrope walking act during rehearsals at the Circus on Fontanka in St. Petersburg.Alexander Demianchuk—Reuters
Zoo owner Emmanuel Tangco reads a book to his snakes in his bedroom in Malabon
Feb. 3, 2013. Zoo owner Emmanuel Tangco reads a book to his snakes in his bedroom in Malabon, Metro Manila.Erik de Castro—Reuters
Richard III Skeleton Discovered in England
Feb. 4, 2013. The skull of the skeleton found at the Grey Friars excavation in Leicester, now confirmed to be that of King Richard III.UPPA/Zuma Press
BRITAIN-SCIENCE-BIONIC
Feb. 5, 2013. A picture shows "Rex", the world's first "bionic man", during a photo call at the Science Museum in London. The 1 million dollar humanoid has a distinctly human shape and boasts prosthetic limbs, a functional artificial blood circulatory system complete with artificial blood, as well as an artificial pancreas, kidney, spleen and trachea.Andrew Cowie—AFP/Getty Images
A mummified body is seen leaning on niches after it was exhumed at the municipal cemetery in Guatemala City
Feb. 5, 2013. A mummified body is seen leaning on niches after it was exhumed at the municipal cemetery in Guatemala City. Municipal employees exhume bodies from niches because of unpaid cemetery fees. The bodies, tagged with identification, are then placed at a mass grave should relatives come back to claim them.Jorge Dan Lopez—Reuters
Children pour cold water on themselves during regular exercises in Krasnoyarsk
Feb. 5, 2013. Children pour cold water on themselves under the instruction of fitness coach Margarita Filimonova at local kindergarten number 317 in Russia's Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk.Ilya Naymushin—Reuters
Indonesia Daily Life
Feb. 8, 2013. Horses are hoisted in the air by a crane as they're transferred from a cargo ship onto a truck upon arrival at a port in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia.Trisnadi—AP
Bratislav Stojanovic, a homeless man, hold candles as he sits in a tomb where he lives in southern Serbian town of Nis
Feb. 9, 2013. Bratislav Stojanovic, a homeless man, holds candles as he sits in a tomb he lives in near the southern town of Nis, Serbian.Marko Djurica—Reuters
Revellers use fire extinguishers during a flour fight at the "O Entroido" festival in Spain's northwestern village of Laza
Feb. 11, 2013. Revellers use fire extinguishers during a flour fight at the "O Entroido" festival in Spain's northwestern village of Laza.Miguel Vidal—Reuters
ISPS Handa Australian Open - Day 1
Feb. 14, 2013. Karrie Webb of Australia waits for the kangaroos to clear the fairway during the first day of the ISPS Handa Australian Open at Royal Canberra Golf Club in Canberra, Australia.Stefan Postles—Getty Images
A model poses nude while a girl draws her during drawing workshop on Valentine's Day in Mexico City
Feb. 14, 2013. A model poses nude while a girl draws her during a drawing workshop on Valentine's Day in Mexico City.Edgard Garrido—Reuters
APTOPIX Russia Meteorite
Feb. 15, 2013. A meteorite contrail is seen over Chelyabinsk, Russia. The meteor caused explosions and reportedly injured around 100 people, including many hurt by broken glass.Yekaterina Pustynnikova—AP
Team Germany I plays Austria II during a match at the Underwater ice hockey Championships in lake Weissensee
Feb. 17, 2013. Team Germany I plays Austria II during a match at the Underwater Ice Hockey Championships in Lake Weissensee in Austria. Underwater ice hockey is played upside-down underneath the ice of frozen lakes with a floating puck.Michael Dalder—Reuters
A Sumatran tiger plays with a pig before killing it at the Sumatra Tiger Rescue Centre compound
Feb. 24, 2013. A Sumatran tiger plays with a pig before killing it at the Sumatra Tiger Rescue Centre compound, inside the Tambling Wildlife Nature Conservation (TWNC) near Bandar Lampung, the southern tip of Sumatra, Indonesia.Beawiharta—Reuters
GERMANY-TREE-CUTTING-OFFBEAT
Feb. 26, 2013. A cut down tree is transported away by helicopter in Hannoversch Muenden, central Germany.Uwe Zucchi—AFP/Getty Images
Abayed, a six-year-old herding dog, walks with a specially-made wheeled walking aid outside the Humane Center for Animal Welfare near Amman
Feb. 26, 2013. "White", a six-year-old herding dog, walks with a specially-made wheeled walking aid outside the Humane Center for Animal Welfare near Amman, Jordan. He was hospitalized and treated after a bullet pierced his spine and paralyzed him two years ago.Ali Jarekji—Reuters
U.S. Wildlife inspectors
Feb. 28, 2013. A gorilla hand with painted finger nails in a display of confiscated illegal items at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Law Enforcement in Baltimore, MD.Jonathan Newton—The Washington Post/Getty Images
TOPSHOTS-NKOREA-US-BASKET-NBA-RODMAN
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un and former NBA star Dennis Rodman speak at a basketball game in Pyongyang on Feb. 28, 2013. KCNA—AFP/Getty Images
A mouse climbed onto back of a snake as the snake bites another mouse at a zoo in Hangzhou
March 5, 2013. A mouse climbs onto the back of a snake as it bites another mouse during the snake's feeding time at a zoo in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. The mouse failed to stop the snake and was swallowed by another snake soon after, local media reported.Reuters
SA supporter of Venezuela's late President Hugo Chavez holds a doll of him in Caracas
March 8, 2013. A supporter of Venezuela's late President Hugo Chavez holds a doll of him as she stands outside the military academy where the funeral ceremony for Chavez was held in Caracas, Venezula.Jorge Dan Lopez—Reuters
Handout still image of a female giant panda Ke Lin watching a panda mating video at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
March 10, 2013. A female giant panda, Ke Lin, watches a panda mating video at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Sichuan province, China. According to the staff of the research base, they showed Ke Lin this video to teach her how to mate, as she kept rejecting her partner. After watching this video, Ke Lin and Yong Yong successfully mated.Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding/Reuters
People sunbathe by the wall of the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg
Mar. 10, 2013. People sunbathe by the wall of the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg.Alexander Demianchuk—Reuters
MIDEAST-GAZA-EGYPT-SMUGGLING-TUNNELS
March 12, 2013. Palestinian workers ride a four-wheel vehicle inside a tunnel for smuggling cars and spare parts beneath the border between Egypt and southern Gaza in Rafah.Wissam Nassar—Xinhua/Landov
Pope Francis meets Benedict XVI
March 23, 2013. Pope Francis meets Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI at Castel Gandolfo in Italy.Alessandra Benedetti—L'Osservatore Romano/Corbis
Donald O'Reilly searches for sheep or lambs trapped in a snow drift near weakened animals that had just been rescued, in the Aughafatten area of County Antrim
March 26, 2013. Farmer Donald O'Reilly searches for sheep and lambs trapped in a snow drift near weakened animals that had just been rescued, in the Aughafatten area of County Antrim, Northern Ireland.Cathal McNaughton—Reuters
Syria: On the Frontline in Aleppo
March 27, 2013. Ahmed,7 the son of an FSA fighter, stands in front of a barricade in the neighborhood of Salahadeen, Aleppo, Syria.Sebastiano Tomada—SIPA USA
APTOPIX Peru Holy Week
March 28, 2013. A boy poses for a picture with people wearing costumes of famous sci-fi movies during the Canaan fair which is part of the Holy Week celebrations in Ayacucho, Peru.Rodrigo Abd—AP
Silver-Vallance floats above the sea using helium filled balloons from the airfield of Robben Island across the Atlantic Ocean in Cape Town
April 6, 2013. South Africa's Matt Silver-Vallance floats above the sea using helium filled balloons during a 7 km flight to raise funds and awareness for the Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital. He floated from the airfield in Robben Island across the Atlantic Ocean to Cape Town. Mark Wessels—Reuters
CHINA-WEATHER-ICE
April 8, 2013. Ice hangs on flowers in a garden in Hami, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.AFP—Getty Images
GERMANY-NATURE-TREE-BEAVER
April 9, 2013. A birch tree gnawed by beavers near Lengenwang, southern Germany.Karl-Josef Hildenbrand—AFP/Getty Images
GERMANY-ANIMALS-PELICANS
April 11, 2013. Pelicans are to be released into their outdoor enclosure at the birds park in Marlow, eastern Germany.Bernd Wuestneck—AFP/Getty Images
An employee holding a knife stands next to chickens on a processing production line at a slaughter house in Shanghai
April 12, 2013. An employee holding a knife stands next to chickens on a processing production line at a slaughter house in Shanghai.Reuters
A reveller leaps into the crowd during an outdoor party celebrating the death of former British PM Thatcher in London
April 13, 2013. A reveller who had climbed onto a ledge outside the National Gallery leaps into the crowd during an outdoor party celebrating the death of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, at Trafalgar Square in central London.Chris Helgren—Reuters
CORRECTION Indonesia Sumatran Tiger
April 15, 2013. A keeper tries to feed Melani, a 15-year-old female Sumatran tiger that has been suffering from an undiagnosed digestive disorder for the past five years at the Surabaya Zoo in Surabaya, Indonesia.AP
FRANCE-THEME-INDUSTRY-ENVIRONMENT-TYRES-RECYCLING-OFFBEAT
April 16, 2013. A tree is seen among tires piled in a ten-hectare installation for recycling in Lachapelle-Auzac, France.Eric Cabanis—AFP/Getty Images
Lake Mead
April 16, 2013. With a bathtub ring marking the high water line, a recreational boat approaches Hoover Dam as it makes its way along Black Canyon on Lake Mead near Boulder City, Nevada.Julie Jacobson—AP
India Pakistan Protest
April 17, 2013. A young Hindu girl from Pakistan cries after being flung on the ground by her mother during a protest against alleged human rights violations in Pakistan outside the United Nations office in New Delhi.Altaf Qadri—AP
INDIA-CHILD-HEALTH-ILLNESS-HYDROCEPHALUS
April 17, 2013. Fifteen-month-old Roona Begum is tended to by doctors and family at a local hospital in Gurgaon on the outskirts of New Delhi. She had a rare disorder that caused her head to swell to nearly double its size.Roberto Schmidt—AFP/Getty Images
INDIA-ENVIRONMENT-EARTH DAY
April 22, 2013. A dog looks on amid trash as polluted waters flow down a canal on the outskirts of Ahmedabad during World Earth Day.Sam Panthaky—AFP/Getty Images
George W. Bush Library Dedication Attended By President Obama And Former Presidents
April 25, 2013. U.S. Army 1st Lt. Melissa Stockwell (Ret.) (R), who was the first female American soldier to lose a limb in the war in Iraq, recites the Pledge of Allegiance as (L-R) former U.S. First Lady Barbara Bush, former President George H.W. Bush, former President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush look on during the opening ceremony of the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Texas.Alex Wong—Getty Images
April 25, 2013. Two victims amid the rubble of a garment factory building collapse in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh.
April 25, 2013. Two victims amid the rubble of a garment factory building collapse in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh.Taslima Akhter
APTOPIX Zurich Classic Golf
April 25, 2013. A worker grooms away tracks after an alligator crossed through a sand trap on the 14th hole during the first round of the PGA Tour Zurich Classic golf tournament at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, La.Gerald Herbert—AP
MADAGASCAR-LOCUST-AGRICULTURE-ENVIRONMENT
April 27, 2013. A swarm of red locusts 20km north of the town of Sakaraha, Madagascar.Bilal Tarabey—AFP/Getty Images
Czech Republic Taxidermist
April 30, 2013. A leopard with needles in its face to keep the skin tight, lies in Radomir Franz's taxidermy shop in Sakvice, Czech Republic.Petr David Josek—AP
Sept 11 Plane Part
May 1, 2013. Officials remove a plane part that was discovered wedged between an apartment building and a mosque in New York. Authorities believe the plane part is from one of the two hijacked airliners that brought down the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.Seth Wenig—AP
An ostrich catches a ring with its neck during a show, held to mark International Day of Migratory Birds in Lima
May 9, 2013. An ostrich catches a ring with its neck during a show with ostriches and hawks, held to mark International Day of Migratory Birds at the Parque de las Leyendas zoo in Lima, Peru.Mariana Bazo—Reuters
Primate house opens in the Wilhelma in Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt
May 14, 2013. Two Bonobos, pygmy chimpanzees, play with a ball in the new primate house at the Wilhelma Zoological Botanical Gardens in Stuttgart, Germany.Marijan Murat—EPA
Farne Island Rangers Carry Out 'Puffin Census'
May 16, 2013. National Trust Rangers Will Scott, David Kinchin Smith, Samantha Morgan and Laura Shearer put their hands into Puffin nests during a census on the Farne Islands in Farne, England.Jeff J Mitchell—Getty Images
Brazil Festival
May 19, 2013. Masked boys walk to the "Cavalhadas" festival in Pirenopolis, Brazil. The popular festival is a tradition that was introduced in the 1800's by a Portuguese priest to mark the the ascension of Christ. The 3-day festival reenacts the Christian knights' medieval defeat of the Moors.Eraldo Peres—AP
Firefighters and doctors rescue an abandoned newborn baby boy by cutting away a sewage pipe piece by piece, in this still image taken from video, at a hospital in Jinhua
May 25, 2013. Firefighters and doctors tend to an abandoned newborn baby boy at a hospital in Jinhua, Zhejiang province, China after rescuing the baby by cutting away a sewage pipe piece by piece.Reuters
A person in a Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur costume runs on the field as young boys play an exhibition soccer match during halftime of the MLS soccer game between the Los Angeles Galaxy and Seattle Sounders FC in Carson
May 26, 2013. A person in a Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur costume runs on the field as young boys play an exhibition soccer match during halftime of the MLS soccer game between the Los Angeles Galaxy and Seattle Sounders FC in Carson, California. The dinosaur was on the field to promote the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.Danny Moloshok—Reuters
Hombres de Musgo (Moss men) Corpus Christi Procession In Bejar
June 2, 2013. Hombres de Musgo or 'Moss Men' take part in the Corpus Christi procession in Bejar, Salamanca province, Spain. The tradition, which dates back to 1397, originates from a legend involving Christians reconquering the town by entering under cover of darkness covered in moss to camouflage themselves from the Muslim guards. This tradition merged with the Corpus Christi procession in the 14th Century.Pablo Blazquez Dominguez—Getty Images
Flooding in Central Europe
June 3, 2013. A penguin looks on as the Prague Zoo floods with waters from the swollen Vltava River in Prague.Katerina Sulova—CTK/Zuma Press
Bodies in Urban Spaces - 10th Serralves in Festival
June 6, 2013. Performers squeeze their bodies into selected spots of architectural structures as part of the 'Bodies in Urban Spaces' project in Porto, Portugal.Jose Coelho—EPA
GERMANY-WEATHER-FLOODS
June 6, 2013. An aerial view shows helpers pumping water at a dam beside the flooded River Danube near the Bavarian village Deggendorf, southern Germany.Christof Stache—AFP/Getty Images
Garden with swimming pool is inundated by waters of Elbe river during floods near Magdeburg
June 10, 2013. A garden with a swimming pool is inundated by the waters of the Elbe river during floods near Magdeburg in the federal state of Saxony Anhalt, Germany.Thomas Peter—Reuters
Youths kick a gay rights activist during a protest against a proposed new law termed by the State Duma as "against advocating the rejection of traditional family values" in central Moscow
June 11, 2013. Youth kick a gay rights activist during a protest against a proposed new law termed by the State Duma, the lower house of Parliament, as "against advocating the rejection of traditional family values" in central Moscow. Activists say the bill, backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin's allies in parliament, would prohibit all gay-rights rallies and fear it fuels violence against gays. Russian authorities say two recent murders were motivated by homophobia.Maxim Shemetov—Reuters
Palestine: The Islamic Jihad run summer camps for young boys
June 12, 2013. Palestinian boys run from explosions in the field. Children as young as ten are drilled with AK47s and run an obstacle course, crawling under barbed wire and leaping through hoops of fire while their instructors fire live bullets overhead. Thousands of youngsters between the ages of six and 16, can participate in a summer camp where they receive military as well as religious training. Islamic Jihad runs the paramilitary summer camps for 10,000 children.Abed Rahim Khatib—Demotix/Corbis
Brazil: Protest Against Rise of Bus Fares in Sao Paulo
June 12, 2013. A scene from the third major protest against the raise in bus fares in Sao Paulo, Brazil.Gustavo Basso—NurPhoto/Sipa USA
Mayoral candidate Morris the Cat is seen at his home in Xalapa
June 15, 2013. Mayoral candidate Morris the Cat is seen at his home in Xalapa, capital of the state of Veracruz. Morris ran for mayor with the slogan, "Tired of voting for rats?" Morris' candidacy was created by a group of citizens who were displeased with their local politicians. Oscar Martinez—Reuters
Pope Francis attends the opening of the Pastoral Convention of the Diocese of Rome at the Vatican
June 17, 2013. Pope Francis attends the opening of the Pastoral Convention of the Diocese of Rome at the Vatican.Stefano Rellandini—Reuters
A motorist hauling buckets of paint is covered in paint after losing control of his SUV and went off the road in Belfair, Washington
June 25, 2013. A motorist hauling buckets of paint is covered in paint after losing control of his SUV and going off the road in Belfair, Washington.Russ Winger—Washington State Patrol/Reuters
ITALY-TRADITION-HORSERACING-PALIO-BLESSING
July 2, 2013. Supporters of the Contrada of Wolf attend a horse-blessing ceremony in the church of Saint Rocco prior to the Palio horse race in Siena, Italy. The Palio medieval race is held twice a year in Siena with jockeys riding bareback around a makeshift race course set up in the city's central square.Fabio Muzzi—AFP/Getty Images
Torrential Rains Sweep Southwest China
July 2, 2013. A piglet stands on a dead sow floating in floodwaters in Chongqing, China.ChinaFotoPress—Getty Images
Race leader yellow jersey holder Orica Greenedge team rider Simon Gerrans of Australia cycles past Sisters of the Consolation congregation during the 228.5 km fifth stage of the centenary Tour de France cycling race from Cagnes-Sur-Mer to Marseille
July 3, 2013. Race leader Orica Greenedge (L) and team rider Simon Gerrans (R) of Australia cycle past Sisters of the Consolation congregation during the 228.5 km fifth stage of the centenary Tour de France cycling race from Cagnes-Sur-Mer to Marseille.Jacky Naegelen—Reuters
Seaweed Swamps Qingdao Coastline
July 3, 2013. Tourists play at a beach covered by a thick layer of green algae in Qingdao, China. A large quantity of non-poisonous green seaweed, enteromorpha prolifera, hit the Qingdao coast in recent days. More than 20,000 tons of such seaweed has been removed from the city's beaches.Whitehotpix/Zuma Press
An excavator moves villagers away from a flooded area during heavy rainfall in Yingxiu
July 10, 2013. An excavator moves villagers away from a flooded area during heavy rainfall in Yingxiu, Wenchuan County, Sichuan province. More than 300 hundred people were evacuated in Yingxiu after roads connecting the township to the outside were cut off by floods and landslides.Reuters
Spain San Fermin
July 14, 2013. A fighting bull's broken horn is seen during a bullfight at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain.Daniel Ochoa de Olza—AP
A monkey plays in a pond surrounded by carps at a wildlife park in Hefei, Anhui province
July 16, 2013. A monkey plays in a pond surrounded by carps at a wildlife park in Hefei, Anhui Province, China.Reuters
Researchers reel in a shark inside another shark
July 19, 2013. This luckless shark thought he had snapped up a tasty bite only for another shark twice its size to make a meal of it. Students at the University of Delaware's Ocean Exploration, Remote Sensing, Biography (ORB) Lab made the amazing find as they tried to recapture sharks tagged for scientific research. They reeled in the large female sand tiger shark and discovered a 3ft long dogfish inside its mouth.Haulsee/Univ. of Delaware/Splash
FRANCE-HEAT-ELDERY
July 22, 2013. A nurse sprays water to cool off an old woman during a summer headwave at the geriatric hospital of Argenteuil, France.Fred Dufour—AFP/Getty Images
Labourers who work nearby nap on a road as cars drive past in Chongqing Municipality
July 23, 2013. Laborers nap on a road as cars drive past in Chongqing Municipality, China.Shi Tou—Reuters
NKOREA-SKOREA-MILITARY-ANNIVERSARY-GRASS
July 25, 2013. Workers tend to grass on a lawn at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun mausoleum in Pyongyang, North Korea.Ed Jones—AFP/Getty Images
Pope Francis visits Brazil
July 26, 2013. A man plays the role of Jesus Christ during a Way of the Cross celebrated by Pope Francis (not seen) at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.Antonio Lacerda—EPA
Fatima, a baby whom Pakistani television talk show host Hussain gave to a childless couple on his show, is held by her adoptive parents in Karachi
Aug. 1, 2013. Fatima, a baby whom Pakistani television talk show host Aamir Liaquat Hussain gave to a childless couple on his show, is held by her adoptive parents at the Chhipa Welfare Association office in Karachi. In a ruthless quest for ratings, Pakistani television is screening what many describe as its most controversial content yet: a talk-show host who gives away babies as prizes. Hussain gave away two abandoned infant girls to childless families last month and plans to give away a baby boy this week.Athar Hussain—Reuters
INDIA-WEATHER-MONSOON-FLOOD
Aug. 6, 2013. An Indian youth dangles from a power line before diving into the floodwaters of an overflowing Ganges river in Allahabad, India.Sanjay Kanojia—AFP/Getty Images
CHINA'S FAUX PARIS TURNS GHOST TOWN
Aug. 7, 2013. A general view of the 108-meter-tall 1:3-scale replica of the Eiffel Tower built by a real estate developer in the residential block named Tianducheng on in Hangzhou, China.Barcroft Media/Landov
Pigeons lie on the ground after dying from what activists say is the use of chemical weapons by forces loyal to President Bashar Al-Assad in Damascus
Aug. 24, 2013. Pigeons lie on the ground after dying from what activists say is the use of chemical weapons by forces loyal to President Bashar Al-Assad in the Damascus suburbs of Arbeen, Syria.Reuters
Rafah border crossing partially re-opened
Aug. 24, 2013. A boy takes a nap on suitcases as he waits to cross into Egypt at Rafah border crossing in the southern Gaza Strip.Ali Ali—EPA
A man runs up the "gostra" during the religious feast of St Julian outside Valletta
Aug. 25, 2013. A man runs up the "gostra", a pole covered in grease, during the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta, Malta.Darrin Zammit Lupi—Reuters
ARGENTINA-TANGO-STAGE
Aug. 27, 2013. Colombia's dancers Juan David Bedoya Marin and Karla Rotavinsky Cadavid dance tango during the Stage Tango competition of the Tango World Championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina.Daniel Garcia—AFP/Getty Images
POPE FRANCIS MEETS PIACENZA PILGRIMS
Aug. 28, 2013. Pope Francis posing with youths during a meeting with the Piacenza diocese in the Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican.Osservatore Romano—EPA
Glare From Walkie-Talkie Building In London Melts Property And Vehicles
Sept. 4, 2013. Crowds gather as a television crew tries to fry an egg as the sun glares down from a new office building in the financial district in London. The concave side wall of the 37-storey skyscraper at 20 Fenchurch Street, known locally as the 'Walkie Talkie' building, has been blamed for reflecting intense sunlight onto nearby streets.Peter Macdiarmid—Getty Images
A frog is captured during a lift off of NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia
Sept. 6, 2013. A frog is captured during a lift off of NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.Chris Perry—NASA/Reuters
BRAZIL-PROTEST-CORRUPTION
Sept. 9, 2013. Protesters demonstrating against corruption simulate the burial of city councilor Chiquinho Brazao, in front of the city hall in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.Yasuyoshi Chiba—AFP/Getty Images
A rabbit hops to avoid a five-month-old leopard cub during a test of cubs' wild natural instincts at a wildlife park in Qingdao
Sept. 10, 2013. A rabbit hops to avoid a five-month-old leopard cub during a test of the cubs' natural instincts at a wildlife park in Qingdao, Shandong province, China.Reuters
Mandira Budhathoki poses for a photograph as she plays outside her home in Kharay, Dolkha District
Sept. 14, 2013. Mandira Budhathoki, 7, poses for a photograph in Kharay, Dolkha District, 118 miles northeast of Kathmandu, Nepal. Devi Budhathoki and three of her children, Manjura, Mandira, and Niraj all suffer from Congenital Hypertrichosis Lanuginosa, a very rare disease that causes excessive body hair growth, and which is sometimes referred to as "werewolf syndrome".Navesh Chitrakar—Reuters
Numerous tents are seen during the 2013 International I Camping Festival in Mount Wugongshan of Pingxiang, Jiangxi province
Sept. 15, 2013. Tents are seen during the 2013 International I Camping Festival in Mount Wugongshan of Pingxiang, Jiangxi province. The event attracted more than 15,000 campers all over the world.Reuters
A Kurdish Free Syrian Army fighter holds doll while his fellow fighter takes shooting position in Ashrafieh, Aleppo
Sept. 18, 2013. A Kurdish Free Syrian Army fighter holds out a doll while his fellow fighter takes shooting position in Ashrafieh, Aleppo, Syria.Muzaffar Salman—Reuters
CUTE MINI LION
Sept. 21, 2013. Daisy, an 18-month-old Persian cat, after being shaved by the vet to rid her of her tangled hair.Ben Torode—HotSpot/Landov
Breeders take care of giant panda cubs inside a crib at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu
Sept. 23, 2013. Breeders take care of giant panda cubs inside a crib at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, Sichuan province.China Daily/Reuters
A boy plays in Chinese traditional pavilion next to an inflated Rubber Duck in Beijing
Sept. 26, 2013. A boy plays in a Chinese traditional pavilion next to an inflated Rubber Duck by Dutch conceptual artist Florentijn Hofman at the Summer Palace in Beijing.Jason Lee—Reuters
A bird flies near the carcass of an elephant, which was killed after drinking from a poisoned water hole, in Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park
Sept. 27, 2013. A bird flies near the carcass of an elephant killed after drinking from a poisoned water hole, in Hwange National Park, about 522 miles east of Harare, Zimbabwe.Philimon Bulawayo—Reuters
BRAZIL'S TIGER FAMILY
Oct. 1, 2013. Tom the Tiger, the pet of Aryas Borges, is pictured with the family chihuahua in Maringa, Brazil.Laurentiu Garofeanu—Barcroft Media/Landov
PHILIPPINES-MALABON CITY-WORLD ANIMAL DAY-EVE
Oct. 3, 2013. A python lies on an orangutan on the eve of World Animal Day at the Malabon Zoo in Malabon City, Philippines.Rouelle Umali—Xinhua/Corbis
A man shaves his monkey with a razor before it performs tricks for money in Lahore
Oct. 7, 2013. A man shaves his monkey with a razor before it performs tricks for money in Lahore, Pakistan.Mohsin Raza—Reuters
U.S. House Speaker John Boehner tickles John Griffin III in Washington
Oct. 10, 2013. U.S. House Speaker John Boehner tickles John Griffin III, son of U.S. Representative Tim Griffin after a house vote on border safety and security in Washington.Jason Reed—Reuters
A devotee, with two guns pierced through his cheeks, takes part in a street procession during the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket
Oct. 11, 2013. A devotee of the Chinese Jui Tui Shrine, with two guns pierced through his cheeks, takes part in a street procession during the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand.Athit Perawongmetha—Reuters
Ricardo Freitas
Oct. 14, 2013. Ecology professor Ricardo Freitas, wearing camouflage barefoot sport shoes, sits on top of a broad-snouted caiman he captured to examine and then release back into the water channel in the affluent Recreio dos Bandeirantes suburb of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.Felipe Dana—AP
EL SALVADOR-GALAPAGOS GREE TURTLE-SURGERY
Oct. 18, 2013. Veterinarians operate on a Galapagos green turtle to extract a fishhook from its esophagus in San Salvador, El Salvador.Jose Cabezas—AFP/Getty Images
NORWAY-GEOGRAPHY-LIFESTYLE- OFFBEAT
Oct. 30, 2013. Sun mirrors set up on the hillside above Rjukan to reflect sunlight down on the town square, are seen during the official opening in Rjukan. Sun-starved residents of a remote Norwegian village unveiled an ingenious mirror system to bring natural light to their mountain valley home, enveloped in darkness for half of the year.Krister Soerboe—AFP/Getty Images
Film Set Transforms Block On Manhattan's Lower East Side To Bygone Era
Nov. 6, 2013. A fake dead horse is seen on set for a television show being filmed in New York City.Andrew Burton—Getty Images
DEER
Nov. 6, 2013. A deer is seen stuck on the roof of a garage in Verneuil-sur-Indre, France.Xavier Roche-Bayard—Maxppp/Landov
Gorilla Massage in Spa in Jakarta
Nov. 6, 2013. An Indonesian therapist wearing a gorilla suit performs a massage during a 'Gorilla Massage' session at the Bali Heritage Reflexology and Spa in Jakarta, Indonesia.Adi Weda—EPA
People walk past the hanging carcass of an elephant on a railway bridge in Khunia range in Jalpaiguri
Nov. 14, 2013. People walk past the hanging carcass of an elephant on a railway bridge in Khunia range in Jalpaiguri district, West Bengal, India. At least seven elephants were killed after a passenger train hit a herd while they were crossing a railway track near the bridge.Reuters
ITALY-FRANCE-TRANSPORT-RAIL-DEMO
Nov. 16, 2013. A demonstrator kisses a riot police officer in Susa, Italy during a protest against the high-speed train between Lyon and Turin. The link, expected to come into service in 2025, will reduce the number of trucks on the highway by one million per year and reduce train times between Paris and Milan from seven hours to just over four.Marco Bertorello—AFP/Getty Images

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