Alan Taylor

A giraffe rears on its hind legs, puling against ropes as a group of rangers try to guide it into a crate for transport. (Tony Karumba / AFP / Getty)

A cluster of riot police in Mexico City, covered in shields, with one police officer visible through a gap in the shields. (Rebeca Herrera / AFP / Getty)

People stand on a dirt road among farm fields, looking back towards rising gray clouds of ash and steam from a nearby volcano. (Agu.S. Harianto / AFP / Getty)

A large ship called a 'jack-up wind turbine installation vessel,' equipped with a tall crane, alongside a harbor, lifted high in the air on four tall jacks. (Tang Ke / Feature China / Future Publishing / Getty)

Photos of the Week: Christmas Market, Mountain Frost, Penguin Outing - The 2025 Miss Universe competition in Thailand, lingering damage from Hurricane Melissa in Cuba, a volcanic eruption in Indonesia, ice sculptures in Edinburgh, and much more. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

A polar bear sits on grassy ground in front of an abandoned house-sized research station. (Vadim Makhorov / AP)

At least two polar bears stand on the porch of an abandoned research station that resembles a house. (Vadim Makhorov / AP)

An aerial view of a cluster of small abandoned buildings on a treeless island with a steep cliff shoreline (Vadim Makhorov / AP)

Four polar bears stand and sit together on a porch and inside the open door of an abandoned building. (Vadim Makhorov / AP)

Photos: When the Polar Bears Move In - The photographer Vadim Makhorov, while recently cruising on the Chukchi Sea, noticed a group of polar bears that were taking shelter inside an abandoned research station on Russia’s remote Kolyuchin Island. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

Silhouettes of people and monkeys, seen against a very smoggy sky and a monument gate in the hazy distance. (Amarjeet Kumar Singh / Anadolu / Getty)

A farmer burns stubble in a field, seen at night. (Bhawika Chhabra / Reuters)

A motorcycle travels down a wide boulevard beneath trees on a very smoggy morning. (Vipin Kumar / Hindustan Times / Getty)

Protesters gather in a public plaza, with one holding a sign that reads 'I miss breathing.' (Manish Swarup / AP)

Photos: India’s Polluted Skies - Millions across northern India have spent recent weeks under a toxic blanket of smog. The air is choked with particulates from the seasonal burning of stubble on nearby farms, along with industrial & vehicular emissions. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

(Actual, as in 'not AI generated')

The silhouette of a skydiver, seen against a very zoomed-in and detailed view of the surface of the sun in the far distance. (Andrew McCarthy - https://www.instagram.com/cosmic_background/ )

This is an insanely cool (actual) photo taken by photographer Andrew McCarthy of a skydiver buddy seen in silhouette against the distant sun. Full story, videos, and more here: www.instagram.com/p/DRBAaqLkvy...

A life-sized cutout sculpture of a stag glows, surrounded by backlighting, displayed in a forest setting. (Liang Sen / Xinhua / Getty)

A person walks past a large maple tree displaying fall colors. (Charlie Riedel / AP)

An aerial view of people walking on a raised footpath that makes several looping twists. (He Penglei / China News Service / VCG / Getty)

An aerial view of skyscrapers shrouded in fog in Kuwait City. (Asad / Xinhua / Getty)

Photos of the Week: Dachshund Day, Flying Fish, Wānaka Tree - Holiday light shows across Europe, smog-filled skies in India, fall colors in Turkey, an appearance by Father Christmas in Germany, and much more. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

A view of the northern lights, looking straight up at swirls of pink and green lights. (Steven Garcia / NurPhoto / Reuters)

Green and red curtains of light, seen in the night sky above a light house. (Owen Humphreys / PA Images / Getty)

A photographer sets up a camera beside a lake at night, with a red and green aurora in the sky beyond. (Andy Dossett / Examiner-Enterprise / USA Today / Reuters)

Green and red curtains of light hang in the night sky above farm equipment in a field. (Ross Harried / NurPhoto / Getty)

Photos: The Northern Lights Put on a Show - A powerful geomagnetic storm brought spectacular light displays to the night skies across the Northern Hemisphere, with sightings as far south as Florida and Oklahoma. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

I only wish it were coming out sooner - would make a gratifying Christmas gift!

I had Doppelgänger on a cassette and played it til it wore out - my soundtrack for summer 1992, driving buses all over Alaska. The swirling guitars of "Horror Head" bouncing out of 40 speakers all around me as I bombed through black spruce forests and mountain passes.

President Donald Trump stands by as attendees help a guest after he collapsed during during an event in the Oval Office. (Andrew Harnik / Getty)

A woman reacts as a low-flying aircraft passes over, during a celebration in a cemetery. (Clarens Siffroy / AFP / Getty)

Members of the Los Angeles Dodgers crowd together and celebrate winning the World Series. (Patrick Smith / Getty)

New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani stands at a podium, hand on his chest, smiling. (Yuki Iwamura / AP)

Photos of the Week: Dinosaur Sweater, Miniature Park, Hippo Calf - 28 images from the past seven days, including the aftermath of a typhoon in the Philippines, Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico, a mayoral election in New York City, and much more. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

A flying fox, seen face-on, wings out, flying through a splash of water (© Douglas Gimesy / cupoty.com)

A beetle opens its wings while clinging to stalks of wheat in a field. (© Marek Pál / cupoty.com)

A close view of a bee's head, its entire body coated in water droplets. (© Andrei Chetronie / cupoty.com)

A frog, its front half poking through a small hole in a wall (© Roman Willi / cupoty.com)

Seeing the World Up Close - Shortlisted images from the 2025 Close-Up Photographer of the Year, celebrating “close-up, macro, and micro photography.” Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

INVENTOR: ive got a great new toy idea for you, it's called... the Radio Flyer

TOY EXEC: oh wow, so it's like a plane that flies via... radio?

INVENTOR: it's not a plane

TOY EXEC: oh...Kay, so it's

INVENTOR: its a little red wagon

TOY EXEC: with ... a radio on it?

INVENTOR: theres no radio

What is the most spook-tacular nebula in the galaxy? One contender is LDN 43, which bears an astonishing resemblance to a vast cosmic bat flying amongst the stars on a dark Halloween night. Located about 1400 light years away in the constellation Ophiuchus, this molecular cloud is dense enough to block light not only from background stars, but from wisps of gas lit up by the nearby reflection nebula LBN 7. Far from being a harbinger of death, this 12-light year-long filament of gas and dust is actually a stellar nursery. Glowing with eerie light, the bat is lit up from inside by dense gaseous knots that have just formed young stars.

Astronomers sure do conjure up a lot of spooky images when they look out into deep space. A short Halloween thread:

Let's start with the Cosmic Bat Nebula (LDN 43). 🧪🔭

apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap24102...

A child smiles while lifting a heavy pumpkin by its stem in a pumpkin patch. (Dan Kitwood / Getty)

A view from an airplane of the interior of the eye of a hurricane—an empty space surrounded by massive curved walls of swirling clouds (Lt. Col. Mark Withee / U.S. Air Force / Getty)

Several people gather on a viewing stand set up in a field of trees that have been pruned into rounded shapes. (Wang Gang / China News Service / VCG / Getty)

An elevated view of the smiling face of a student, surrounded by nearly two dozen painted hands, all sporting messages promoting animal welfare. (Ravi Kumar / Hindustan Times / Getty)

Photos of the Week: Pumpkin Patch, Witch Paddle, Giant Labubu - 28 images from the past seven days, including the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica, the festival of Chhath Puja in India, armored-battle re-creations in Moscow, & much more. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

A huge storm cloud swirls above a wide open plain, with a small broken-down shack in the foreground. (© Lauren Baca / The 16th Epson International Pano Awards)

A whale swims near the water's surface, with a tree-covered bit of land visible in the background. (© Matthew Smith / The 16th Epson International Pano Awards)

A panoramic view of a steep and rocky mountain range, seen beyond a lake. (© Luciano Oliveira / The 16th Epson International Pano Awards)

Wind-blown snow hits and flies over a polar bear. (© Daniel Valverde / The 16th Epson International Pano Awards)

Winners of the 2025 Epson International Pano Awards - Some of the highest-scoring images from this year’s panoramic photo competition. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

"A close view of a squirrel biting a nut on the ground" (Omer Taha Cetin / Anadolu / Getty) / "The sun shines through the colorful canopy of a beech tree, seen in a view looking up along its trunk." (Patrick Pleul / DPA / Getty)

Gah - forgot to put in the credits/alt text: "Fall colors cover trees along a curvy road in Wisconsin." (Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA Today / Reuters) / "An aerial view of Germany's Neuschwanstein Castle" (Peter Schatz / EyesWideOpen / Getty) /

One of the more gratifying things I get to in my job: share well-made photos of some of the abundant beauty in the world. 'The Colors of October' - 26 images showing foliage, flight, and festivity around the Northern Hemisphere at the peak of autumn. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

A view of the downtown Los Angeles skyline with a view of mountains in the background at sunset. (Luke Hales / Getty)

A bald eagle soars past a tree with fall foliage. (Charles Krupa / AP)

A motorcycle racer falls headfirst into a patch of gravel, their helmet sending bits of gravel flying. (William West / AFP / Getty)

A rally car drives on a leaf-covered road through a forest during a race. (Massimo Bettiol / Getty)

Photos of the Week: Miniature Beer, Foam Fight, Vortex Race - 28 images from the past seven days, including the Cow Race Grand Prix in Switzerland, Halloween preparations in Germany, observations of International Sloth Day in Panama City, and much more. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

A brown hyena wanders among the ruins of a long-abandoned diamond mining town in South Africa. (© Wim van den Heever / Wildlife Photographer of the Year)

An orb weaver spider on its web, silhouetted by colorful lights. (© Simone Baumeister / Wildlife Photographer of the Year)

An egret flaps its wings just above the water's surface as a large fish splashes and swallows a smaller fish just below. (© Qingrong Yang / Wildlife Photographer of the Year)

A small owl perches on a branch, holding a small rodent between its talons. (© Luca Lorenz / Wildlife Photographer of the Year)

Winners of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025 - A collection of some of this year’s winning and honored images, selected from more than 60,000 entries. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

A child kneels down to touch one of many small oil lamps laid out on temple steps. (Mohammad Ponir Hossain / Reuters)

Crowds of people walk through a shopping district in a city that is lit with many hanging lights. (Idrees Mohammed / AFP / Getty)

A large group of people sit together in rows, each holding a small oil lamp or candle. (Ajit Solanki / AP)

Many people stand around, taking photographs and video of lamps arranged in a large square, beneath a laser light show. (Arun Sankar / AFP / Getty)

The Lights of Diwali 2025 - During the five-day festival, celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs around the world, lamps are lit to celebrate the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

A person dressed in a Statue of Liberty costume participates in a “No Kings” national day of protest in New York City. (Timothy A.Clary / AFP / Getty)

An elevated view of a large crowd of protesters in a square in Chicago. (Jacek Boczarski / Anadolu / Getty)

Two protesters wearing inflatable costumes of Squidward, a character from the SpongeBob SquarePants TV show, carry signs, including one that says "Sorry for being weird, this is my first dictatorship". (Bill Clark / CQ-Roll Call, Inc / Getty)

A crowd of protesters marches down a street in Atlanta, carrying signs. (Alyssa Pointer / Reuters)

Photos: More ‘No Kings’ Protests Across the U.S. - 30 photos. Organizers expected millions to attend rallies in cities and towns across America, protesting the policies and actions of President Trump. Gathered here, a handful of images from today. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

Purple blossoms fill a field in front of autumn-colored trees. (Patrick Pleul / DPA / Getty)

A shepherd raises his arms in front of a herd of sheep. (Dominika Zarzycka / SOPA Images / LightRocket / Getty)

A large rocket lifts off from a ship. (AFP / Getty)

A great blue heron stands beside a “no fishing” sign. (Ronen Tivony / NurPhoto / Getty)

Photos of the Week: Cave Lights, Mountain Shepherd, Snowbirds Formation - 28 images from the past 7 days, including major storm damage in coastal Alaska, a 700-year-old mosque in Mali, a Radio City Rockettes rehearsal in Manhattan, and much more. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

I can't tell you how much I love this

Giant skeleton looking like it’s tipping over a house.

My friend’s neighbor’s house fell off its foundation (old steel structure collapsed), and they just did the funniest thing.

A microscopic image of a rice weevil perched on a grain of rice (Zhang You, Kunming, Yunnan, China)

A microscopic view of soy sauce, appearing as multiple square and rectangular crystals floating in a fluid (Mishal Abdulaziz Alryhan, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia)

A close view of the legs of a tiny crustacean (Zachary Sanchez, Nashville, Tennessee, USA)

A microscopic view of frost, looking like many tiny hexagonal slabs stacked on top of each other (Gregory B. Murray, Pritchard, British Columbia, Canada)

Photographing the Microscopic: Winners of Nikon Small World 2025 - Some of the amazing winning images from this year’s photomicrography competition, selected from nearly 2,000 entries. Try to guess what each image is showing before reading the caption. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

A digital illustration of an incredibly fluffy cat, drawn in a watercolour-and-ink style. The colours are pastel with lots of yellow, aqua, and cool pink. The cat sits facing us, his bushy white chest contrasting with brown tabby colouring, giving the air of a wise white-bearded king. He has white paws and a white blaze on his face that covers his cheeks and nose. His long, bushy tail curves behind him, adding drama to the seated pose. A gold crown with red gems floats above his head like a halo, sending off radiant lines in the background. He sits on a fluffy white cloud. Around the image is a stylised frame, decorated with red clover (state flower of Vermont) and in the centre, the subject's name: FERGUS.

He looked so regal in that pic, I had to draw him! Hope that's OK. I'm so deeply sorry for your loss. He looks a beautiful boy who probably purred really loud 🌸☘👑

Hundreds of cars merge from several dozen lanes down to just a few, seen from above, a sea of red brake lights. (AFP / Getty)

A person kneels and takes pictures of many jack-o'-lanterns. (Mario Anzuoni / Reuters)

A man receives cupping therapy using cow horns, making it appear as if he has many horns poking out of his back and shoulders. (Juni Kriswanto / AFP / Getty)

A protester in an inflatable frog costume faces off against several federal law enforcement officers. (Stephen Lam / San Francisco Chronicle / Getty)

Photos of the Week: Horn Cupping, Target Practice, Pumpkin Forest - 28 images from the past seven days, including a long holiday across China, night surfing, reactions to a cease-fire deal in Gaza and Israel, the last day of Oktoberfest, and much more. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

A remarkable video clip from astronaut Don Pettit (@astro_Pettit on X), showing his "best sighting of a Starlink satellite 'train' from orbit!" - x.com/astro_Pettit...

Adding that image of Rey into the Falcon cockpit - amazing! Love these looks behind the scenes, and your enthusiasm just makes it that much better.