The Man burns during the Burning Man 2013 arts and music festival in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, on August 31, 2013. The federal government issued a permit for 68,000 people from all over the world to gather at the sold out festival, which is celebrating its 27th year, to spend a week in the remote desert cut off from much of the outside world to experience art, music and the unique community that develops.(Reuters/Jim Urquhart) 

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An aerial view of the Burning Man 2013 arts and music festival, in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, on August 29, 2013.(Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 

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A closer look, an aerial view of the Burning Man 2013 arts and music festival campground, on August 29, 2013. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 

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A participant bicycles away from the effigy of the Man during Burning Man 2013 in the Black Rock Desert, on August 29, 2013.(Reuters/Jim Bourg) # 

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The sun sets over the "Cradle of Mir" art installation during Burning Man 2013, on August 30, 2013. (Reuters/Jim Bourg) # 

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Participants dance in a dome during the "Gold Bikini Happy Hour" hosted by Rat Camp during Burning Man 2013, on August 30, 2013.(Reuters/Jim Bourg) # 

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Ranger Beauty, her "Playa" name, mans the perimeter around the Man before it is burnt in the Black Rock Desert, on August 31, 2013.(Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 

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Rochelle Schieck of Los Angeles dances by the "Truth is Beauty" sculpture created by Marco Cochrane at the 2013 Burning Man festival, on August 30, 2013. (Reuters/Jim Bourg) # 

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Krissy Humphreys performs with fire at sunrise at the Temple of Whollyness during Burning Man 2013, on August 31, 2013.(Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 

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Mutant vehicles drive across the Playa during Burning Man 2013, on August 31, 2013. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 

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Christin Meador is towed along the Playa by Adam Johnson at sunrise during Burning Man 2013, on August 31, 2013.(Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 

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The Man, the day before the burn, on August 30, 2013. Original here. (CC BY ND Bexx Brown-Spinelli) # 

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Staring up at the Man on August 27, Burning Man 2013, Black Rock City, Nevada. Original here. (CC BY SA Cory Doctorow) # 

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Katherine Cadger and Kevin Rae watch the sunrise at the Temple of Whollyness during Burning Man 2013, on August 31, 2013.(Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 

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Church-Trap, sculpture on the the Playa, Burning Man 2013, Black Rock City, Nevada. Original here. (CC BY SA Cory Doctorow) # 

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Dust envelops art installations during Burning Man 2013, on September 1, 2013. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 

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Burning Man participant Virginia Biney from Philadelphia poses next to an art installation on the Playa, during the Burning Man Festival, on August 30, 2013. (Reuters/Jim Bourg) # 

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Pippin, his Playa name, chats on the phone with God during Burning Man 2013, on September 1, 2013. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 

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Rasika Mathur (left) and Grant Ball read messages left by participants at sunrise at the Temple of Whollyness, during Burning Man, on August 31, 2013. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 

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Messages, left by participants at the Temple of Whollyness, during the Burning Man Festival in the Black Rock Desert, on August 31, 2013.(Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 

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Playa sculpture, photographed on August 30, 2013. Original here. (CC BY ND Bexx Brown-Spinelli) # 

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Dust envelops the Man before it burns in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, on August 31, 2013. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 

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Participants dance during Burning Man 2013, on August 31, 2013. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 

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Participants begin to gather for the burning of the Man, on August 31, 2013. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 

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The Temple of Whollyness is burned on the Playa, on September 1, 2013. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 

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A participant makes her way around the flames as the Temple of Whollyness burns during Burning Man 2013, on September 1, 2013.(Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 

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Burning Man participants walk towards the Temple of Whollyness as it burns in the Black Rock desert, late September 1, 2013.(Reuters/Jim Bourg) # 

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Ashlie Jump (left) and Boonda, his Playa name, watch as the Temple of Whollyness is burned during Burning Man 2013, on September 1, 2013. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 

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The Temple of Whollyness burns at the conclusion of the 2013 Burning Man arts and music festival, late September 1, 2013.(Reuters/Jim Bourg) # 

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The Man, at the start of the burn, in Nevada's Black Rock Desert, on August 31, 2013. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 

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The Man burns, on August 31, 2013. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 

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Jed Vassallo (left) and Erin Bohlmann cheer as the Man burns during Burning Man 2013, on August 31, 2013. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 

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The Man burns during the Burning Man 2013 arts and music festival, on August 31, 2013. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #