A soap bubble lands on the frosty ground and creates a shimmering snow globe as crystals form around it. Pictured under the winter sun, the bubbles glow as sunlight bounces off their surface. Photographer Hope Thurston Carter captured the images after blowing the soap bubbles on several freezing days in Michigan. The 52-year-old, of Martin, Michigan, says: 'I got the idea to blow bubbles outside in the winter after I saw several similar photos on the internet.
A baby sperm whale assumed the role of a friendly giant when faced with two awestruck divers .
SITTING quietly at the edge of the lake, these two baby bears watch and learn as the adults hunt for fish .
Like a scene from a fairytale, THOUSANDS of fireflies create an enchanting glow as they dance in a forest .
A COUNCIL has come under fire for slapping fines on people’s GRAVESTONES for breaching petty regulations on pot plants .
BURSTING from the water, a beautiful but deadly Sumatran tiger jumps for food in an Indonesian zoo .
WITH his spiked ears and yellow and blue body, a colourful monkey bears an uncanny resemblance to Marvel Comics’ Wolverine .
Throwing their arms up in the air, these energetic squirrels play a game of ball with a walnut .
SQUABBLING over the last piece of grain, these hungry squirrels are determined to stock up on as much food as possible .
A trout manages to escape the jaws of a hungry cormorant - only to find itself back inside the bird's long beak .
A floating market in Indonesia is bursting with vibrant colours as wooden rowing boats loaded with fruit and vegetables crowd the river .