Runner-Up

Dr Philip Pogge Von Strandmann, Earth Sciences

Growth from chaos

Moss growing on the ash from the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption in Iceland that shut down European airspace. The crater is off the left-hand side of the photo. This growth is one of the first steps in the land around the volcano reclaiming the CO2 that was emitted during the eruption. It also highlights how fertile volcanic ash is, even in cold regions like Iceland.

All images and text copyright their artist/author and MAY NOT be used for any purposes without the express permission of the original artist/author. All Rights Reserved, 2015.