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.
These are the faces of orphans suffering from the horrifying effects of chemical warfare .
A curious red squirrel takes a break from collecting nuts and tries her hand at photography .
WITH SNOW COVERING the ground around them, these two polar bears play fight .
HUDDLING under a leaf, a pair of adorable Javan scops owls take shelter from the rain .
WRAPPED up in classy headscarves, these adorable pooches are the picture of sophistication .
With an abandoned tricycle sitting in an empty corridor, this derelict but once grand mansion could be the setting for The Shining .
A diver looks like a minnow as she swims alongside a gigantic whale shark, the largest species of fish on the planet .
WITH THEIR adorable big round eyes and fluffy white fur, these baby seals are cute enough to melt any heart .
A BAMBI was dramatically caught in mid-air by a greedy Nile crocodile in a once-in-a-million flying pincer move .
A toddler has shrugged off death an incredible 10 times thanks to his parents who revive him with the kiss of life every two weeks .
WITH STUNNING colours and serene scenes, these photographs capture the otherworldly beauty of the English coast .
THROWING himself off 1,100ft bridges in a wheelchair, this is the PARALYSED base jumper who knows no fear .