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.'
These are the faces of orphans suffering from the horrifying effects of chemical warfare .
With one hand rested on his belly and the other propping his head up, this lazy lizard takes an afternoon break .
More weather chaos is heading our way, with ice and snow already hitting areas across Birmingham .
A little brown bear cub shows his doting mum that she is always on parent duty as he uses her as a scratching post .
Is your cat bored? Do his usual playthings simply not do it for him anymore? Not to worry - there's an app for that .
Kevin Silva, 52 from Indiana in the USA, has spent an estimated £65K ($100K) on Batman trinkets over the years, and even keeps his 2,500-item haul in his very own basement 'Bat Cave' .
From squids to Star Wars, these flipping marvellous creations are pancake portraits .
HOPPING onto the scales, these adorable baby Humboldt penguins are ready for their first weigh-in .
THE THOUGHT OF BECOMING shipwrecked on a remote destination would fill most holidaymakers with dread .
A BABY-faced burglar is starting a seven year stretch in custody after being nabbed by a Jaffa Cake .
A GLOWING range of greens and blues sweep across the sky in a spectacular display of light .