1. Trees in Fog, GermanyPhoto: Angelika Himburg “David versus Goliath.” This photo was taken on a foggy morning in January. The sun began to rise and hid behind the big trees. The little tree stands like a dwarf next to it. Salzatal, Germany.

    Trees in Fog, Germany
    Photo: Angelika Himburg

    “David versus Goliath.” This photo was taken on a foggy morning in January. The sun began to rise and hid behind the big trees. The little tree stands like a dwarf next to it. Salzatal, Germany.

     


  2. Autumn Woods, GermanyPhoto: Jonathan Manshack This photo was taken during autumn in Hameln, Germany, which is the birthplace of the infamous Rattenfanger - or Pied Piper as we Americans know it. This shot is actually on top of the last few hills that soon sink into the state of Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony). This area is essentially lowland plains - hence the name Lower Saxony!

    Autumn Woods, Germany
    Photo: Jonathan Manshack

    This photo was taken during autumn in Hameln, Germany, which is the birthplace of the infamous Rattenfanger - or Pied Piper as we Americans know it. This shot is actually on top of the last few hills that soon sink into the state of Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony). This area is essentially lowland plains - hence the name Lower Saxony!

     


  3. Taming the WildNovosibirsk, RussiaPhoto: Vincent J. Musi This brown rat’s angry display at the photographer reflects 73 generations of breeding for hostility to humans. Scientists at Novosibirsk and in Germany are comparing the aggressive rat genome to that of rats selected for friendliness, attempting to untangle connections between DNA and behavior. “It looks like a prison cell with a bunch of mad prisoners, ready to lash out at each other, which is basically what these rats are doing. And the whole frame, the way it moves from not just the aggressive rat but to how the other rats are reacting to him, is a moment that is absolutely unforgettable.”—Chris Johns, Editor in Chief

    Taming the Wild
    Novosibirsk, Russia
    Photo: Vincent J. Musi

    This brown rat’s angry display at the photographer reflects 73 generations of breeding for hostility to humans. Scientists at Novosibirsk and in Germany are comparing the aggressive rat genome to that of rats selected for friendliness, attempting to untangle connections between DNA and behavior.

    “It looks like a prison cell with a bunch of mad prisoners, ready to lash out at each other, which is basically what these rats are doing. And the whole frame, the way it moves from not just the aggressive rat but to how the other rats are reacting to him, is a moment that is absolutely unforgettable.”
    —Chris Johns, Editor in Chief

     


  4. Full Moon Rising Photograph by Stefan Seip The full moon seems to perch amid the trees in a picture taken near Stuttgart, Germany, in March and released last week. The moon looks larger on the horizon than when it’s overhead because of an optical effect called the Ponzo Illusion: The human brain perceives the sky as a dome, so we subconsciously think the moon is farther away—and thus larger—when it’s on the horizon than when it’s above us. 

    Full Moon Rising

    Photograph by Stefan Seip

    The full moon seems to perch amid the trees in a picture taken near Stuttgart, Germany, in March and released last week. The moon looks larger on the horizon than when it’s overhead because of an optical effect called the Ponzo Illusion: The human brain perceives the sky as a dome, so we subconsciously think the moon is farther away—and thus larger—when it’s on the horizon than when it’s above us.