Cacti atop the Chajnantor Plateau

Despite being one of the driest places on Earth, the Atacama Desert is host to many forms of life, such as these cacti photographed dotting the rugged terrain of the Chajnantor Plateau in northern Chile.

This image was captured on the access road between the ALMA Operations Support Facility (OSF) and Array Operations Site (AOS).

The 5920-metre Licancabur volcano can be seen in the distance.