The 8 Winners of This Year's Smithsonian Photo Contest Will Completely Blow You Away

"A couple of ladies are passing in front of graffiti."

"There are not many other animals as productive as sheep. They give us wool, milk, meat. Their memoirs are usually short. The pool of names is repeated every two years on our farm. We have already had two Queens, three Theos, and four Fables."

"Niloofar is an Iranian nomad girl living in the [Baba Najm] nomad region south of Shiraz city in Fars Province, Iran."

"Decoratively dyed bundles of incense dry in Quang Phu Cau, a commune in Hanoi, Vietnam. In Buddhist countries like Vietnam, incense is an irreplaceable part of traditional festivals and religious ceremonies."

"Energy travels hundreds of miles across the ocean and comes to a dramatic end when it reaches our shores."

"This is Maggie. She has two rare chromosome duplications, one of which she's the only child on record to have. This photo captures not only her vulnerability, but also the magnitude of the science for which we are so grateful. A little girl and her 'Gigi' already way too familiar with hospitals and doctors offices than any child should be."

"In northern Vietnam, people come to the weekly market to exchange goods and culture. They usually wake up very early to go to market and have breakfast here."