No matter if it’s captured in a state of peace or destruction, Earth is a fascinating and beautiful place.
Below are 22 of the best environmental photos taken for Reuters in 2016.
From star trails in Kazakhstan to a breathtaking sunrise over the mountains of Austria, these photos will give you a unique perspective of the planet we live on.
The stars above a camp in Kazakhstan’s Altyn-Emel National Park look psychedelic thanks to long exposure photography.
Star trails in Kazakhstan’s Altyn-Emel National Park.Shamil Zhumatov / Reuters
A group of people brave a sightseeing platform amidst the otherworldly quartzite sandstone columns that fill Zhangjiajie in China’s Hunan Province.
A sightseeing platform in Zhangjiajie, China.China Stringer Network / Reuters
Not surprisingly, the city served as inspiration for the movie “Avatar.”
Boats make their way through Chaka Salt Lake in Haixi in China’s Qinghai Province.
Chaka salt lake in Haixi, China.China Stringer Network / Reuters
This caiman’s carcass was found in the dried-up Pilcomayo River in Boqueron, Paraguay.
A caiman carcass in the dried-up Pilcomayo River in Boqueron, Paraguay.Jorge Adorno / Reuters
Hurricane Matthew wreaked havoc on a house in Lumberton, North Carolina, in October of last year.
A house in Lumberton, North Carolina, during Hurricane Matthew.Carlo Allegri / Reuters
Great Bear Lake in Deline, Canada, is the eighth largest lake in the world and also an ideal spot for Aurora Borealis viewing.
The Aurora Borealis over Great Bear Lake in Deline, Canada.Pat Kane / Reuters
A heavy layer of ice left this car — pictured in Hamburg, New York, — unmovable.
A car covered in ice in Hamburg, New York.Lindsay DeDario / Reuters
Standing on Hundskopf Mountain, this photographer was able to capture a blanket of fog covering the Inntal Valley while the sun rose above the village of Gnadenwald in Austria.
The sunrise over the Inntal Valley in Gnadenwald, Austria.Dominic Ebenbichler / Reuters
The stark color contrast in this salt lake, which is separated by a road in Yuncheng, China, is due to algae.
A salt lake separated by a road and colored by algae in Yuncheng, China.China Stringer Network / Reuters
The spots in this photograph are actually salt pans and dams located just outside of Perth, Australia.
Salt pans and dams near Perth, Australia.David Gray / Reuters
These fishermen in New Taipei City, Taiwan, are in a sulfuric fire fishing boat. This unique method uses fire to attract fish.
A sulfuric fire fishing boat in New Taipei City, Taiwan.Tyrone Siu / Reuters
This man was caught trekking through a snow storm that hit Washington in late January of last year.
A man trekking through a snow storm in Washington.Carlos Barria / Reuters
Photographed in Kibbutz Ein Gedi, Israel, these swimmers were on their way to the Israeli shore from Jordan for the Dead Sea Swim Challenge. The event raises awareness of ecological threats to the Dead Sea.
Two swimmers participating in the Dead Sea Swim Challenge.Nir Elias / Reuters
A lone crane rises out of the thick fog that engulfs the port city of Yantai in China’s Shandong Province.
A crane rising through fog in Yantai, China.China Daily Information Corp / Reuters
A flock of sterlings dot the sky over Lake Leman in Lavaux, Switzerland.
A flock of sterlings flying over Lake Leman in Lavaux, Switzerland.Denis Balibouse / Reuters
Much of India doesn’t have access to clean water. This man is seen hauling back two buckets he filled from the River Ganges in Allahabad.
A man carrying back water from the River Ganges in Allahabad, India.Jitendra Prakash / Reuters
Fall was in full swing as this man strolled through a garden in Srinagar, Kashmir.
A man walking through a garden in autumn in Srinagar, Kashmir.Danish Ismail / Reuters
Strong winds — around 62 miles per hour — stirred up large waves in Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France.
Waves crashing against a lighthouse in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France.Pascal Rossignol / Reuters
Nuuk, Greenland’s capital city, is home to plenty of icebergs thanks to its large fjord network. Here, children play on an iceberg on the beach.
Two children playing on an iceberg in Nuuk, Greenland.Alister Doyle / Reuters
These fallen trees are the result of an operation meant to prevent illegal logging and mining in Novo Progresso in northern Brazil.
Fallen tress in Novo Progresso in Brazil.Ueslei Marcelino / Reuters
This wind farm, located in the English town of Clacton-on-Sea, seems to rise straight out of the water.
A wind farm in Clacton-on-Sea, England.Neil Hall / Reuters
