Heart-shapes in nature

Excuse-us for being cheesy but as Valentine’s Day approaches we’ve put together a gallery of  heart-shaped things found in nature, from puddles to islands to flowers and frigate-birds’ pouches. The heart as a symbol of love originally developed in the 15th century and became more widely popular in the 16th century.

Heart-shaped cactus (Michael Weber/Robert Harding)

Patterns in nature

We put together some of our favourite stunning photos of naturally occurring patterns, ranging from sand dunes and land erosion to ice bubbles and crocodiles’ skin. Enjoy.

Sand dunes pattern in Tunisia, North Africa (Aurora Photos/Robert Harding)