FROM ICE bubbles to boiling lava, these photographs highlight the stunning shapes and patterns found in nature. The series of extraordinary images were taken by German software engineer Thorsten Scheuermann after he decided to examine his surroundings. A trip to the city of Kalapana in Hawaii, home to the Kilauea Volcano, provided Thorsten with the setting for his lava picture, while a visit to the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon offered him the opportunity to photograph ice bubbles up-close. The 37-year-old, now of Washington, USA, said: 'These are sights that can gain greater significance and have their beauty exposed when excluding everything else around them.'
BURSTING colours of reds, pinks and purples give the illusion of a collection of stunning flowers .
FISTS fly as two gorillas take each other on in a dramatic battle .
A trout manages to escape the jaws of a hungry cormorant - only to find itself back inside the bird's long beak .
A pair of chicks bravely decided to befriend a python, despite being the snake's favourite choice of food .
An Australian beach is illuminated by an enticing neon blue glow as a rare phenomenon lights up the water .
RACING through the mountain range on horseback, the Kazakh people practice their ancient tradition of hunting with golden eagles .
What lies beneath this building site? Britain's great hope of winning the pre-WW2 arms race against Nazi Germany .
A BLIND man was battered with a brick in a sickening attack by two thugs .
PERCHING on the edge of a flower, these loved-up caterpillars can't resist each other as they enjoy a romantic moment together .
Staring death in the face, a little field mouse bravely confronts a hungry cat .