Will you be mine? West Papua, New Guinea: To win choosy females, male bowerbirds swagger, croon and … decorate. In some species, only males with the most spectacular lairs, like this Vogelkop on New Guinea, succeed in passing on their genes. Photograph by Tim Laman

 

A Cool Place to Live A microbiologist taking soil samples to check for microbes at Mt. Erebus, a volcano in Antarctica. The tiny organisms can endure the highest and lowest temperatures, making Erebus’ dark ice caves an ideal habitat. Photograph by Carsten Peter

 

On the Brink A man tested a thermal suit near Mount Nyiragongo in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Decades of internal strife have prevented exploration of the active volcano, which is surrounded by an expansive lava lake. Molten rock flowing from Nyiragongo down to the city of Goma, at its base, has destroyed homes and forced locals to flee, but scientists believe its biggest eruption is yet to come.Photograph by Carsten Peter