Science Photo Library

Copper and magnesium sulphate, LM

2008-06-20T12:21:33Z

Copper and magnesium sulphate crystals. Polarised light micrograph (LM) of copper sulphate (CuSO4) and magnesium sulphate (MgSO4) crystals.

Salmonella, TEM

2008-06-20T12:21:51Z

Salmonella. Coloured transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of Salmonella paratyphi B bacteria (also called Salmonella schotmulleri). These Gram-negative rod-shaped bacteria have flagella (hair-like strands) that are used for movement. This type of Salmonella causes paratyphoid fever, which is a severe type of gastroenteritis (digestive system infection) combined with typhoid-like symptoms (a long, extremely high-temperature fever that may be fatal if left untreated). Infection is usually through ingesting contaminated food or water, but this can be quickly treated by antibiotics. Magnification: x27,200 when printed 10 centimetres wide.

Clematis stem, SEM

2008-06-20T12:24:15Z

Clematis stem. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a section through a Clematis sp. stem. Within the central pith (green) are six vascular bundles (blue and orange). Each vascular bundle consists of xylem (blue) and phloem (orange) tissue. Xylem transports water and mineral nutrients from the roots throughout the plant and phloem transports carbohydrates and plant hormones around the plant. Around the pith is the cortex (brown), which consists of parenchyma cells. On the outside of the stem is the epidermis (yellow).

Roses, X-ray

2008-06-20T12:24:22Z

Roses. Coloured X-ray of a bunch of roses.

Geranium pollen, SEM

2008-06-20T12:28:06Z

Geranium pollen. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of pollen (pink) on the stamen of a geranium flower (Geranium sp.). The stamens are male reproductive structures that consist of a filament topped by a pollen-bearing anther. Pollen grains are the male sex cells of a flowering plant.

Aspen (Populus tremula)

2008-06-20T12:28:14Z

Aspen tree (Populus tremula) trunk and foliage. Photographed in autumn.

Global warming, conceptual image

2008-06-20T12:31:35Z

Global warming, conceptual image. Smoke rising from a factory chimney and surrounding the Earth. Carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels are one of the main contributors to lobal warming and climate change.

European Union, 2007, satellite image

2008-06-20T12:31:50Z

European Union, 2007. North is at top. This is a mosaic of satellite images showing the member states (highlighted) of the European Union (EU) as of 1st January 2007. On this date, Bulgaria (northeast of Greece at centre right) and Romania (Bulgaria's northern neighbour) joined the EU, taking its membership to 27 states. In early 2007, the EU contained around 490 million people. Notable non-members (not highlighted) include Switzerland (east of France at centre), Norway (occupying the western part of the Scandinavian Peninsula) and the states of the former Yugoslavia (west of Bulgaria and Romania), apart from Slovenia, which joined in 2004.

Aurora over Antarctica, satellite image

2008-06-20T12:33:08Z

Aurora over Antarctica, ultraviolet satellite image. Australia is at upper left. This is the aurora australis (green ring), the southern lights display. It is caused by interactions between charged particles from the Sun (the solar wind) and gas atoms and molecules about 100 kilometres above the Earth. On reaching Earth, the charged particles are drawn by Earth's magnetic field to the poles, where they collide with gas atoms and molecules, causing them to emit light. This display, on 11 September 2005, was caused by a large solar flare. The aurora image was obtained by NASA's IMAGE satellite, which carried out a five year study of Earth's magnetic field.

Railway avalanche, Alaska

2008-06-20T12:33:13Z

Railway avalanche, Alaska, USA. Snow from an avalanche blocking a railway track, with a steam train seen in the background. Avalanches occur when blocks of snow slide down a mountainside. They are a hazard for mountain transport. This photograph was taken sometime between 1900 and 1930.

Sun halo

2008-06-20T12:34:29Z

Sun halo. Eroded rock pinnacle obscuring the sun. The ring of light around the sun is a halo. This optical phenomenon is caused by refraction of sunlight by ice crystals in high level clouds. Photographed in the Sahara Desert, near Tamanrasset, Algeria.

Tornado

2008-06-20T12:34:36Z

Tornado. This tornado is part of the extended tornado outbreak that devastated parts of the Central United States on 4 May 2007. The most destruction occured in Greensburg, Kansas and other tornadoes were reported across South Dakota, Colorado and Oklahoma. The outbreak continued until the 6 May 2007 and a total of 123 tornadoes was confirmed. Photographed on 4th May 2007, in Ellis County, Oklahoma, USA.

Lake Vanda, Antarctica

2008-06-20T12:36:12Z

Lake Vanda, Antarctica. Feet of researchers standing on the clear, frozen surface of Lake Vanda. This lake is in Wright Valley, one of the McMurdo Dry Valleys. It has what is said to be the clearest ice in the world. The lake water is almost completely chlorophyll- and sediment-free, and the ice is nearly as transparent as distilled water. It is possible to see down through the ice for distances of many metres. The water in the centre of the lake, 65 metres below the surface, is liquid and traps heat, supporting colonies of bacteria. Photographed in October 2005.

Melting Arctic sea ice, Canada

2008-06-20T12:36:21Z

Melting Arctic sea ice, Lancaster Sound, Nunavut, Canada. During spring the sea ice that has formed over winter melts, resulting in large chunks of sea ice floating in the sea. The sea ice is formed from frozen sea water, as opposed to icebergs, which are frozen blocks of fresh water. The floating ice is shaped and eroded by splashing water and wind. In recent years, the effects of global warming have caused sea ice to melt earlier in the season and glaciers to recede.

Tyrannosaurus rex dinosaur

2008-06-20T12:38:13Z

Tyrannosaurus rex dinosaur, artwork. T. rex was a carnivorous theropod dinosaur that existed in the Upper Mastrichtian stage of the Cretaceous Period, between 65 and 67 million years ago. It was one of the largest known carnivorous dinosaurs, measuring12.4 metres long and between 4.6 to 6 metres tall. Its skull was around 1.6 metres long and the eye sockets about 10 centimetres wide. Adults may have weighed around 7 tonnes. T. rex walked on two legs, and may have reached a running speed of 24 kilometres per hour. It is thought that T. rex may have been both a predator and a scavenger, having characteristics that suggest both possibilities.

Fog over Salcombe Estuary, Devon, UK

2008-06-20T12:38:23Z

Fog over Salcombe Estuary, Devon, UK. This is also called Kingsbridge Estuary. This estuary is an example of a ria because no river flows into it, only a few small streams. A ria is a type of sunmergent coastal landform. It is formed either as a result of a rise in global sea levels or sinking land. When this change occurs, valleys that were previously at sea level become flooded.

Cave of Crystals, Naica Mine, Mexico

2008-06-20T12:40:26Z

Cave of Crystals. Geologist in the Cave of Crystals (Cueva de los Cristales) in Naica Mine, Chihuahua, Mexico. The crystals are the largest known in the world, and are formed of the selenite form of gypsum (calcium sulphate). They formed over millions of years in the mineral-rich geothermally heated water that filled the caves. The crystals were discovered after the water was pumped out of the mine. The Cave of Crystals is 290 metres deep, and was discovered in 2000. Above it, 120 metres deep, is the Cave of Swords (Cueva de las Espadas), which was discovered in 1912. The crystals in this cave are smaller as its water cooled more rapidly.

Model of Oetzi the Iceman

2008-06-20T12:40:34Z

Model of Oetzi the Iceman. Silicon model of Oetzi, a Copper Age man, created using his skull measurements. Oetzi is Europe's oldest natural mummy (as of 2008), dating from 3300 BC. He was found embedded in a glacier in the Oetztal Alps (on the Austrian-Italian border) by two German tourists in 1991. Oetzi's body was so well preserved that scientists were able to determine what he had eaten before he died (red deer meat, grains, roots and fruit) and that he had died in spring, as the pollen of a spring plant was found on his clothes. They also speculated that he worked in smelting copper, which left traces in his hair. Oetzi may have died in battle, as he had several wounds to his body and was carrying weapons, including a copper axe.

Embryology research, mouse embryo

2008-06-20T12:41:34Z

Embryology research. Researcher using forceps while preparing a specimen of a mouse embryo during research on the embryology of the heart. The mouse embryo has been prepared so that only the skeleton is left. Photographed at the IBDML, the Developmental Biology Institute of Marseille-Luminy, France.

HaCaT culture cells, light micrograph

2008-06-20T12:41:40Z

HaCaT cells. Immunofluorescence light micrograph of HaCaT daughter cells that have resulted from one cell dividing into two (mitosis). The nuclei, which contain the cell's genetic information, arepurple. The green strands are microtubules, which are involved in cell division. HaCaT cells are human skin cells (keratinocytes) that have been transformed (mutated) to be immortal. They have unlimited growth potential, but unlike other immortal cell lines they are not tumourigenic (tumour forming). This means they grow in an orderly fashion and retain all the structural and functional features of human skin. HaCaT cells are grown in the laboratory and are used in research, including wound healing research. Magnification: x980 when printed 10cm wide.

Velcro

2008-06-20T12:43:06Z

Velcro. Close-up view of a velcro clothing fastener. Velcro consists a sheet of opposing nylon hooks (top) and partial loops (bottom). The hooks and loops are readily attached to each other, but can be pulled apart with sufficient force. This design was invented in the 1940s by the Swiss electrical engineer George de Mestral, who was inspired by the burrs produced by some plants as a method of seed dispersal.

Osteoporosis, SEM

2008-06-20T12:43:16Z

Osteoporotic bone, coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). Osteoporosis (brittle bone disease) causes a reduction in overall bone mass and an increase in the bone's porosity, making it more brittle and likely to fracture. It commonly affects the elderly and post-menopausal women, who experience a decrease in levels of the hormone oestrogen. It may also develop following injury or infection. Treatment is with hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and drugs that slow the rate of bone loss. Magnification: x130 when printed at 10 centimetres wide.

Cigarette stub

2008-06-20T12:44:17Z

Cigarette stub. Cigarettes contain the addictive drug nicotine and cancer-causing substances. Smoking is a major cause of chronic bronchitis and lung cancer. This image could represent quitting smoking.

Heart pacemaker, X-ray

2008-06-20T12:44:22Z

Heart pacemaker. Coloured frontal X-ray of the chest of a 64-year-old patient with a heart pacemaker (upper right). The heartis at lower centre. Cardiac diseases can make the heart need to pump harder. As it is a muscle, the heart grows if it has an increased workload. The pacemaker has leads to supply regular electrical impulses to the heart so that it beats normally. Pacemakers are fitted in patients with a malfunctioning sinoatrial node, the part of the heart that initiates the heartbeat, or in patients with a heart block, which impairs the nerve impulses generated by the node. Pacemakers may provide a regular impulse or discharge only when a heartbeat is missed.

Premature baby

2008-06-20T12:46:26Z

Premature baby. Hand of a premature baby lit by ultrared light. This light is use to find the baby's veins, which are very small, to allow drugs and fluids to be administered intravenously. Babies born before 37 weeks of development require constant monitoring in a contained environment. Their immune system and internal organs are under-developed and they have difficulty maintaining a constant body temperature. Photographed at The Sofia Childrens Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Trepanation, 14th century artwork

2008-06-20T12:46:38Z

Trepanation. 14th century artwork of a doctor using a hammer and scalpel to perform a surgical operation known as trepanation. This is a form of treatment in which a hole is drilled into the patient's skull. It was used to treat many conditions in the Middle Ages, including headaches, migraines, epilepsy and mental illness. Artwork from Anathomia (1345), by the Italian anatomist Guido da Vigevano.

Elbow stand, X-ray artwork

2008-06-20T12:47:18Z

Elbow stand. Enhanced X-ray of a person performing an elbow stand.

Feet, CT scan

2008-06-20T12:47:25Z

Feet, CT scan. Coloured three-dimensional computed tomography (CT) scan of adult feet. The scan shows the bones, ligaments and surface tissue. This image was produced using a multi-slice CT scanner, which uses a thin X-ray beam to scan around the patient collecting data from different angles to create 'slices' of the body. A computer reconstructs the slices into coloured three- dimensional images of the body, including bones and soft tissue. This image was created using OsiriX medical imaging software which allows surgeons to navigate around the body using fly-through animations of the data.

Brainstem cross-section, light micrograph

2008-06-20T12:51:05Z

Brainstem. Light micrograph of a cross-section through the medulla oblongata of the brainstem. The brainstem is the lower part of the brain, connecting it to the spinal cord. It has three areas: the midbrain, the pons, and the medulla oblongata. The medulla is the lower part of the brainstem. The main areas seen here are the formatio reticularis (upper centre), the lemniscus medialis (lower centre), the piramis and tractus corticospinalis (lower right and lower left) and the pedunculus cerebellaris inferior (upper right and upper left). The brainstem deals with subconscious functions, such as breathing and blood pressure. Magnification: x25 when printed 10cm wide.

Advanced MRI brain scan

2008-06-20T12:51:20Z

Advanced MRI brain scan. This 3D magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of a normal human brain has been produced by the 3T MRI scanner at Neurospin, one of the most advanced MRI research centres in the world. The front of the brain is at left. The coloured lines indicate the many neural pathways that exist in the brain. Neurospin has 3T and 7T scanners. The 'T' designations refer to the magnetic field strengths of 3 Tesla and 7 Tesla. These are extremely strong magnetic fields, and hence this technique is known as ultra high-field magnetic resonance imaging. The high magnetic field strength allows detailed examination of the brain and brain disorders. Neurospin was founded in 2006, and is located near Paris, France.

Lungs, 3D MRI scan

2008-06-20T12:52:40Z

Lungs. Coloured 3D magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of healthy lungs, showing the bronchial tree (brown). The bronchial tree consists of bronchioles (lung airways) that branch out from one of two bronchi (at centre, not seen). Air from the mouth passes through the trachea (windpipe) and the bronchi to reach the bronchioles, where it fills tiny sacs (alveoli). In the alveoli, oxygen from the air is exchanged with carbon dioxide from the blood. Some chest bones can also be seen (white), such as the clavicle (collarbone, across top), spine (running down centre) and ribs (surrounding the lungs).

Football fanatic, conceptual image

2008-06-20T12:52:49Z

Football fanatic, conceptual image. Composite X-ray of a football inside a human skull representing an obsession with football.

Climber

2008-06-20T12:55:37Z

Climber at the top of a mountain at sunset. Photographed on the summit of Buachaille Etive Mor, looking over Rannoch Moor, Glencoe, Scotland, UK, in winter.

Using a water pump, Uganda

2008-06-20T12:56:06Z

Using a water pump. Smiling child using water pump to fill a water can. In undeveloped dry areas of the world, people have to walk long distances to get drinking water, or rely on pumps to bring water to the surface from deep underground. Photographed in a rural area of the Gulu region of Uganda.

Moon rising over Earth's horizon

2008-06-20T12:58:09Z

Moon rising over Earth's horizon, composite image.The blue haze of Earth's atmosphere can be seen above the horizon. Earth is thought to be the only planet in the solar system that can support life. The Moon (at upper right) has a diameter just over a quarter of the Earth's. It orbits at a distance of around 385,000 kilometres, taking nearly 30 days for one orbit. It does not have an atmosphere and is a heavily cratered and barren piece of rock.

Phases of the Moon

2008-06-20T12:58:21Z

Phases of the Moon. North is at bottom. As the Moon orbits the Earth, the amount of sunlight seen on its visible hemisphere varies in a regular 28- day cycle. This montage of images shows, from left: a waxing crescent Moon (3 days old); the Moon's first quarter (7 days old); a Full Moon (14 days old); the Moon's last quarter (21 days old); and a waning crescent Moon (26 days old). As the cycle progresses, the motion of the Moon in its orbit around the Earth moves its visible hemisphere into and then out of the sunlight. The lunar day dawns on a waxing Moon, and then the lunar night falls on a waning Moon. Photographed in Earth's southern hemisphere.

Comet McNaught, 19th January 2007

2008-06-20T12:59:12Z

Comet McNaught. This comet, also known as C/2006 P1, was the brightest to appear in the sky since Ikeya-Seki in 1965. Due to its proximity to the Sun it could only be seen at dusk. It was visible in the Northern Hemisphere until 13th January 2007, when it passed the Sun and became a Southern Hemisphere object. It attained a maximum brightness of magnitude -6 around 14th January. The tail is formed of particles of ice and dust expelled by the comet as it was heated by the Sun. The comet was discovered by Rob McNaught of Siding Spring Observatory on 7th August 2006. Photographed from Siding Spring Observatory, Australia, at 10:22 GMT on 19th January 2007.

Moon in transit across Sun

2008-06-20T12:59:18Z

Moon in transit across Sun. Image 2 of 3. Transit of the Moon across the Sun, as seen from the Stereo-B spacecraft. This event was not visible from Earth. The spacecraft was orbiting the Sun about 1.6 million kilometres away from the Earth, and 4.4 times further from the Moon than the Earth is, when this image was taken. Therefore, the Moon appears 4.4 times smaller here than it does from Earth. The image of the Sun is a composite of four different wavelengths of extreme ultraviolet light. Image taken on 25 February 2007 at 13.50 UT. For other images in this sequence see R506/420 to R506/422.

Fornax A galaxy

2008-06-20T12:59:47Z

Fornax A galaxy. Combined optical (white) and radio (orange) image of the galaxy Fornax A (NGC 1316, centre). The smaller galaxy NGC 1317 is above it. These galaxies are members of the Fornax cluster, a gravitationally linked group of 18 galaxies which lies around 70 million light years from Earth in the constellation Fornax. o'=Fornax A is a powerful source of radio waves (orange). These radio emissions are powered by a massive black hole at the galaxy's centre. Image produced using radio data from the Very Large Array (VLA) telescope.
*** THIS PICTURE MAY NOT BE USED TO STATE OR IMPLY THE ENDORSEMENT BY NRAO, AUI OR NSF OF ANY COMPANY OR PRODUCT ***

Globalstar satellite launch

2008-06-20T12:59:51Z

Globalstar satellite launch. Rocket exhaust flames marking the upward passage of a Soyuz-Frigate rocket that is being used for a night launch of four Globalstar communications satellites into Earth orbit. The launch gantries are seen in the lower frame. The Globalstar communications network of 52 satellites was completed in February 2000. This launch deployed spare satellites to replace ageing satellites that were beginning to fail. Photographed on 30 May 2007, at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.

Mercury Seven astronauts

2008-06-20T13:01:22Z

Mercury seven astronauts participating in U.S. Airforce survival school. From left to right the astronauts are: Leroy Cooper, M. Scott Carpenter, John Glenn, Alan Shepard, Virgil Grissom, Walter Schirra and Donald Slayton. They are wearing some garments made from parachute material. This desert training was to prepare the astronauts for an emergency or faulty landing in a remote area. This group of astronauts, also known as the Original Seven and Astronaut Group 1, are the only group of astronauts to have flown on all of NASA's manned spacecraft in the 20th century. Photographed at Stead Air Force Base, Nevada, USA, in 1960.

Space shuttle Atlantis on a Boeing 747

2008-06-20T13:01:31Z

Space shuttle Atlantis piggybacking on a modified Boeing 747 transport plane. It has just completed mission STS-117, which landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, USA, on 22nd June 2007. It is now being transported to the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, USA. Photographed at Edwards Air Force Base on 1st July 2007.

Sputnik 1 launch

2008-06-20T13:02:23Z

Sputnik 1 launch. Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite, being launched by an R-7 Semyorka rocket from Tyuratam military range (now Baikonur Cosmodrome), Kazakhstan, on 4 October 1957. The satellite consisted of an aluminium ball, with a diameter of 58 centimetres, carrying four whip-like antennas. It weighed 83.5 kilograms. It orbited the Earth at a height of 250 kilometres for 21 days, gathering information about the electron density of the ionosphere. The launch of Sputnik 1 prompted the US to enter the Space Race with the launch of the Explorer-1 satellite four months later.

SuitSat space debris, 2006

2008-06-20T13:02:30Z

SuitSat space debris. The SuitSat (centre) is an unneeded Russian Orlan spacesuit, released into Earth orbit on 3 February 2006 by the crew of the International Space Station (ISS). The Earth is at left. The spacesuit was fitted with a radio that transmitted recordings made by schoolchildren to amateur radio operators around the world. A few weeks later the spacesuit entered the Earth's atmosphere and burnt up. The ISS orbits at a height of around 350 kilometres above the Earth's surface.

Willow grown for bioenergy

2008-06-20T13:03:32Z

Willow (Salix sp.) grown for bioenergy on a coppice plantation. Here, the wood is periodically harvested by cutting the trees to near ground level, which stimulates the regrowth of numerous woody stems. The harvested stems are chipped and burnt in special furnaces at Cotham power station, seen here behind the plantation. This releases energy in the form of heat. Photographed in Nottinghamshire, UK.

Shipyard construction work

2008-06-20T13:03:47Z

Shipyard construction work. Construction workers looking down the side of an icebreaker ship being constructed in a shipyard. The chains on the side of the ship are part of the anchor chain. Icebreakers have reinforced hulls and are used to break through sea ice and open up passageways for other ships. This ship is the icebreaker Moskva. It is being built in the Baltiysky Zavod shipyard in St Petersburg, Russia. This was the first diesel-electrical icebreaker to be built here in the last 32 years. Previously, Russia's non-nuclear-powered ships were built abroad. Photographed in May 2007.

Drug delivery microspheres, SEM

2008-06-20T13:05:45Z

Drug delivery microspheres, coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). These microscopic spheres, made from a polymeric substance, are used to deliver drugs to a specific site. The microspheres are biodegradable, and breakdown to release the drugs they are carrying.

Protective suit manufacture

2008-06-20T13:05:52Z

Protective suit manufacture. Technician checking the wrist seals on a biological laboratory protection suit. The suit is designed to prevent researchers from being exposed to harmful micro-organisms during their research. It is essential that the suit is totally sealed off from the environment, and that gas pressure and oxygen and carbon dioxide levels within the suit remain constant at normal levels. This suit is manufactured by Delta Protection.

Wingtip vortice patterns

2008-06-20T13:08:02Z

Wingtip vortice patterns in smoke from flares. The plane at upper right, a C-17 Globemaster III from the US Air Force, released a series of flares to form the smoke pattern seen here. The two vortices (circular patterns, upper centre) are caused by air spiralling off the tip of the airplane's wings. The resulting pattern is known as a smoke angel. Photographed over the Atlantic Ocean in May 2006.

Testing an audio system, 1959

2008-06-20T13:08:09Z

Testing an audio system. Loudness tests being carried out in an anechoic chamber, a room that absorbs sound and has little echoing from its surfaces. The tests are comparing the loudness of diffuse (multidirectional) and progressive (unidirectional) sound fields. Photographed at the National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, UK, in 1959.

First World War helmet eye screen

2008-06-20T13:09:19Z

First World War helmet eye screen. First World War soldier wearing a helmet with a chain mail screen designed to protect his eyes from shrapnel and rock fragments during shelling. The First World War (1914-1918) saw a large number of head wounds due to shrapnel from the immense number of artillery shells used by each side to try and break the deadlock of trench warfare on the Western Front. The modern steel helmet was developed in response to this, though most did not have screens like the one seen here. This helmet and screen was manufactured by the E. J. Codd Company of Baltimore, Maryland, USA. The USA entered the war on 6 April 1917, playing a crucial role in helping Britain and France to defeat Germany and its allies. Photographed in 1918.

Leech movement, composite image

2008-06-20T13:09:24Z

Leech movement. Composite image of the underside of a leech (Glossiphonia complanata). The leech has two suckers, one underneath the head and a ventral sucker at the lower end. The leech at top has its body contracted into an arch shape with both suckers close together. Here, the longitudinal muscles of the body are contracted and the circular muscles are relaxed. The leech at centre has the hind sucker attached (right) and the head sucker released (left). The body is then extended due to the relaxed longitudinal muscles and the contracted circular muscles. The leech at bottom is fully extended with the head sucker (left) attached.

Fruit fly, SEM

2008-06-20T13:11:43Z

Fruit fly. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a fruit fly (Drosophila funebris) on an apple. Its compound eyes (red) are seen and its wings are outstretched. Fruit flies are widely used in genetic experiments, particularly in mutation experiments, because they reproduce rapidly and their genetic systems are well understood. Magnification: x20 when printed at 10 centimetres wide.

Mosquito feeding

2008-06-20T13:11:59Z

Mosquito (Anopheles stephensi) feeding on human blood. The mosquito feeds by piercing its victim's skin with its proboscis (tube-shaped mouthpiece, lower centre) and drawing blood through it. Only female mosquitoes feed on blood, which they require to produce eggs. This type of mosquito is well-known for transmitting malaria.

Human flea, SEM

2008-06-20T13:12:44Z

Human flea. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the head of a human flea (Pulex irritans). At upper centre are two sensory palps. At centre are the mouthparts, which pierce the skin to enable the flea to suck the blood of its host. Fleas are external parasites that may carry and transmit diseases, including the plague. The itchiness associated with a flea bite is mainly due to an allergic reaction to the flea's saliva or faeces that have been deposited near the bite and rubbed into it by scratching. Magnification: x33 at 10 centimetres wide.

Tarantula, thermogram

2008-06-20T13:12:51Z

Tarantula. Thermogram of a tarantula held by a pair of hands. A thermogram shows variation in temperature on the surface of an object, measured by the long-wave radiation it emits. The temperature scale is colour-coded and runs from dark blue (coolest, 22.8 degrees Celsius) through green, yellow and orange to light red (warmest, 35.9 degrees Celsius). The tarantula is coolerthan the human because it is an ectotherm. Ectotherms use their external environment to regulate their body temperature while endotherms (mammals and birds) are able to regulate their body temperature internally.

Seahorse

2008-06-20T13:14:12Z

Seahorse (Hippocampus guttulatus), swimming underwater. This species is native to UK and European coasts. It is being bred at Seahorse Ireland, the world's first seahorse farm. The farm uses large water tanks with constantly circulating water are used and the seahorses fed on a diet of plankton and algae. Seahorse Ireland supplies animals to the aquarium trade and is developing technology that enable farmers in far and South-East Asia to conserve local stocks. Female seahorses produce up to 2,000 eggs, which are transferred to the male's brood pouch for fertilisation and incubation. Many species are endangered through overfishing for the aquarium and traditional Chinese medicine trades.

Scorpionfish

2008-06-20T13:14:21Z

Pacific spotted scorpionfish (Scorpaena mystes). This species belongs to the scorpionfish family. Its body is covered with venomous spines that can cause intense pain in humans.

Female Oustalet's chameleon

2008-06-20T13:15:52Z

Female Oustalet's chameleon (Furcifer oustaleti) perched on a piece of driftwood at a beach. This species is common and widespread in Madagascar but is in Appendix II of the CITES list (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). This list contains species that are not necessarily threatened with extinction but that may become so unless trade is closely controlled. It is one of the largest chameleons in the world, reaching lengths of around 64 centimetres. Photographed on Nosy Anako, Madagascar.

Grey heron

2008-06-20T13:15:57Z

Grey heron (Ardea cinerea). Silhouette of a grey heron taking off from a treetop at dusk. This wading bird is native throughout Europe, Asia and parts of Africa. It is around 90- 100 centimetres in height with a wingspan between 175-195 centimetres. It feeds on fish, frogs, small mammals and birds. Photographed in Lancashire, UK.

African fish eagle

2008-06-20T13:17:11Z

African fish eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer) with outstretched feet, about to catch its prey. This bird of prey is found across most of sub-Saharan It inhabits areas near freshwater and lakes, feeding on fish, flamingos and other birds.

Little owl

2008-06-20T13:17:18Z

Little owl (Athene noctua) in flight. This owl is native to the warmer parts of Europe, Asia and north Africa. It was introduced to Great Britain in the 19th century and is now naturalised there. It is a very small owl, between 23 and 27.5 centimeters in length, and feeds on insects, earthworms and amphibians.

White dove carrying olive branch

2008-06-20T13:19:22Z

White dove (Columba livia) in flight, carrying an olive branch in its beak. The olive branch, from the tree Olea europaea, is a traditional symbol of peace and goodwill.

Superb starling

2008-06-20T13:19:32Z

Superb starling (Lamprotornis superbus). This bird is very common throughout Kenya, where it lives in large flocks which are frequently found feeding on the ground. Photographed in the Samburu reserve, Kenya.

Mandrill

2008-06-20T13:21:35Z

Mandrill. Face of a male mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx). The vivid colouration on males' faces is used in threat displays between members of the troop. The females do not have the prominent red stripe on their noses, and their 'mane' (yellow) is less pronounced. Mandrill troops usually contain around 50 individuals. They inhabit the forests of western equatorial Africa, but spend most of their time on the ground. They retreat to the trees to sleep at night. Mandrills are omnivorous, eating roots and fruits as well as frogs, lizards and snakes. Small mammals are sometimes taken as well. Mandrills may reach a length of almost a metre.

Chimpanzee, 3D MRI scan

2008-06-20T13:21:48Z

Chimpanzee. Coloured magnetic resonace imaging (MRI) scan showing the head of a chimpanzee (Pan sp.). The bones of the skull and teeth are shown in white. MRI scanning uses powerful magnets and radio waves to generate images of the body and its internal structures.

Golden langur monkey

2008-06-20T13:23:24Z

Golden langur monkey (Trachypithecus geei). This monkey is an endangered species and has an estimated population of around 10,000 individuals. It is mainly found in the foothills of the Himalayas along the Assam-Bhutan border. It feeds on fruit, leaves, seeds, buds and flowers and is mainly threatened by habitat loss. Photographed in Guwahati, Assam, India.

Chacma baboon foot

2008-06-20T13:23:34Z

Chacma baboon (Papio ursinus) foot. The hair covering its foot protects it from the cold. Photographed in De Hoop Nature Reserve, South Africa.

Face of a pipistrelle bat

2008-06-20T13:25:14Z

Face of a pipistrelle bat. Scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the head of a pipistrelle bat (Pipistrellus pipistrellus). Bats, of the order Chiroptera, are the only mammals in the world naturally capable of flight. About 70 per cent of bats are insectivorous, and many are nocturnal. They are not blind, although many species have small eyes and poor eyesight. Instead they rely on echolocation, emitting high-pitched sounds in regular patterns and using the returning echo to locate and identify objects.

Dog hair

2008-06-20T13:25:22Z

Dog hair on an English pointer, a breed of the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris).

Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris)

2008-06-20T13:28:02Z

Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris) snarling in the Bandhavgarh National Park, India. The Bengal tiger is found in India and other parts of the Indian subcontinent. It is an endangered species with estimated numbers of between 2,000 and 4,000 individuals. The rising human population in India has led to increasing encounters with wild tigers.

US Navy sea lion training underwater

2008-06-20T13:28:14Z

US Navy sea lion (Zalophus californianus), training underwater. This animal has been trained by the Navy Marine Mammal Program (NMMP), San Diego, USA, to locate objects underwater. The sea lion carries a tethered bite-plate in its mouth. It is trained to locate objects which emit a low frequency 'ping' (such as underwater mines) and hook the bite plate onto the object. Once secured, navy crew in a boat are able to pull the object out of the water. The sea lion carries a backpack transponder to enable the animal's movements to be tracked. The US Navy also trains dolphins, killer whales and beluga whales for a variety of underwater tasks that are easier for animals to perform than human divers.

Rat tongue, light micrograph

2008-07-04T14:57:09Z

Rat tongue. Confocal light micrograph of an en face section through a rat's tongue. Actin, in muscle tissue, is red. The cell nuclei, which contain the cells' genetic information, are blue. Cell membranes are green. Magnification: x220 when printed at 10 centimetres wide.