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.'
SNUGGLING up against their teddy bears, these baby sloths could easily be mistaken for one of the cuddly toys .
BURSTING colours of reds, pinks and purples give the illusion of a collection of stunning flowers .
STRIKING photos capture nature at its most raw and powerful during Earth’s most electrifying event .
WELCOME to the pretty 122-inch-tall red dwelling that lays claim to the title of the UK's smallest house .
A young otter wades through a lake with his eyes set on an older rival’s fish .
IN a galaxy not so far away lies a magical display of lights that could be the latest image from NASA .
A diver looks like a minnow as she swims alongside a gigantic whale shark, the largest species of fish on the planet .
SWIMMING next to 40 tonne whales, dare-devil divers take the plunge with these gentle giants of the sea .
WIDE EYED and staring straight down the lens of the camera, this intrigued seal is ready for his close up .
GIANT garden sculptures don't beat about the bush .
Pouncing down on top of his twin brother, these two snow leopard cubs practice their kung-fu moves .
