An Italian photographer travelled to Chile where he visited several star-gazing sites, home to some of the world's most advanced telescopes, located in the spectacular setting of the Atacama desert. Surrounded by vast desert and distant snow topped mountains, the enormous satellite dishes, dome-shaped buildings and telescopes are run by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) , an intergovernmental body dedicated to observing space. Photographer Alberto Ghizzi Panizza was granted access to several observatory sites.
SHOVELLING food into his mouth, this hungry gorilla enjoys a peaceful moment at dinner time .
THIS alien-like bug would look more at home in outer-space but it can actually be found wriggling around here on Earth .
A US firefighter has battled osteoarthritis and four hip replacements to break the world paddleboarding record .
Like a scene from a fairytale, THOUSANDS of fireflies create an enchanting glow as they dance in a forest .
PERCHING on top of a gate, this young barn swallow waits patiently for his mum to return with dinner .
FLEXING his muscles and staring straight at his opponent, this bodybuilding squirrel is the nuts .
An artist has transformed traditional Thanksgiving dinners into mini-masterpieces .
STARING intently into the camera, a polar bear appears to be lost in thought while relaxing in the snow .
A diving guide leaves a shark completely docile and balanced in the palm of his hand .
A diver explores the crystal clear waters of the Silfra canyon in southern Iceland, which is the only place on Earth where you can dive or snorkel between two continental plates .
WITH the mystical clouds forming a thick blanket and the electrifying lights below, these stunning pictures provide a unique view of the cityscape of Dubai taken from the tallest building in the world .
