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.
SWIMMING next to 40 tonne whales, dare-devil divers take the plunge with these gentle giants of the sea .
MEET the underwater British seal who is so friendly he loves to grapple divers like a friendly puppy dog .
BURSTING from the water, a beautiful but deadly Sumatran tiger jumps for food in an Indonesian zoo .
A project to create an underwater tribute to the stone Moai statues of Easter Island ended in disaster when 15 replica structures were destroyed after toppling from a boat and into the sea .
Staring death in the face, a little field mouse bravely confronts a hungry cat .
MEET the little lion of suburbia with a mane that makes him look like a mini-king of the jungle .
A pair of adorable polar bear cubs play-fight with each other in the Alaskan snow .
A TAXIDERMY truck spotted in America’s Deep South could be the most gruesome wagon on the road .
WEARING tiny Christmas accessories, these adorable babies get into the spirit of the season .
WIDE EYED and staring straight down the lens of the camera, this intrigued seal is ready for his close up .
A BLIND man was battered with a brick in a sickening attack by two thugs .
FIFTEEEN years after it was closed pictures by a British teacher show the calamity Hong Kong airport that was closed for being too dangerous .