Grains of sand
1. 
Ain Salah in Algeria, in the Sahara Desert
Photo by Maher Baraket
Two entries in the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest:
2.
Photographer Scott Belt’s entry. His caption:
Baitfish Skillfully Use Sea Turtle as Cover: Off of Isla Mujeres, Mexico, sailfish were circling as baitfish used a sea turtle as cover. The sailfish successfully attempted on several occasions to slap the baitfish with their bills (with surgical precision) to disorient them and have a quick snack before the turtle dove deep to escape the carnage.
3.
Photographer Kirk Nielsen’s entry. His caption:
Great White, Sun Light: As I am sitting on top of a suspended submersible cage, 30 feet below the surface, a 15 foot Great White Shark swims overhead just starting to block out the sun. I took the shot right after I had released a breath though my respirator. Photo taken off Guadalupe Island, Mexico.
Gallery of fifty more contest entries
4.
Grey-headed flying fox in Yarra Bend Park, Victoria, Australia
Photo by Craig Borrow
Victoria’s flying fox colonies
5.
"Hibiscus Snake"
Photo by Darren Minke
6.
Highway 101 along the Oregon coast, near Florence, Oregon
7.
"Night Stare"
African lion in Motswari Private Game Reserve, South Africa
Photo by Mario Moreno
Interview with Moreno, including more of his pics
8.
Lenticular clouds over Mt. Rainier as seen from Graham, Washington
Photo by Howard Frisk
9.
Midge trapped in Baltic amber fifty million years ago
Photo by Matt Cole
His blog entry, with more photos and info
10.
Print by Jennie Marie Schell
11.
Caption for the photo in The Los Angeles Times: A surfer is viewed through a pattern of raindrops on a windshield in Newport Beach.
Photo by Allen J. Schaben
12.
Artwork by Jeliza Patterson
13.
Grains of sand, magnified over 250 times
Photo by Gary Greenberg
14.
Photo by Ortwin Khan
15.
From this beautiful two-minute video: The Plankton Chronicles
Also posted to randompictures
Ain Salah in Algeria, in the Sahara Desert
Photo by Maher Baraket
Two entries in the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest:
2.
Photographer Scott Belt’s entry. His caption:
Baitfish Skillfully Use Sea Turtle as Cover: Off of Isla Mujeres, Mexico, sailfish were circling as baitfish used a sea turtle as cover. The sailfish successfully attempted on several occasions to slap the baitfish with their bills (with surgical precision) to disorient them and have a quick snack before the turtle dove deep to escape the carnage.
3.
Photographer Kirk Nielsen’s entry. His caption:
Great White, Sun Light: As I am sitting on top of a suspended submersible cage, 30 feet below the surface, a 15 foot Great White Shark swims overhead just starting to block out the sun. I took the shot right after I had released a breath though my respirator. Photo taken off Guadalupe Island, Mexico.
Gallery of fifty more contest entries
4.
Grey-headed flying fox in Yarra Bend Park, Victoria, Australia
Photo by Craig Borrow
Victoria’s flying fox colonies
5.
"Hibiscus Snake"
Photo by Darren Minke
6.
Highway 101 along the Oregon coast, near Florence, Oregon
7.
"Night Stare"
African lion in Motswari Private Game Reserve, South Africa
Photo by Mario Moreno
Interview with Moreno, including more of his pics
8.
Lenticular clouds over Mt. Rainier as seen from Graham, Washington
Photo by Howard Frisk
9.
Midge trapped in Baltic amber fifty million years ago
Photo by Matt Cole
His blog entry, with more photos and info
10.
Print by Jennie Marie Schell
11.
Caption for the photo in The Los Angeles Times: A surfer is viewed through a pattern of raindrops on a windshield in Newport Beach.
Photo by Allen J. Schaben
12.
Artwork by Jeliza Patterson
13.
Grains of sand, magnified over 250 times
Photo by Gary Greenberg
14.
Photo by Ortwin Khan
15.
From this beautiful two-minute video: The Plankton Chronicles
Also posted to randompictures