Advertisement

From the inside of a cell to the outer reach of the galaxy, remarkable photographs from science

  • Taken from NASA's Wide Infrared Survey Explorer spacecraft, this shows the Great Orion Nebula - a vast cloud of dust and gas 100 light years across.
    1/16

    Great Orion Nebula

    Taken from NASA's Wide Infrared Survey Explorer spacecraft, this shows the Great Orion Nebula - a vast cloud of dust and gas 100 light years across.
    WENN
  • The cells of a coffee bean, seen through an electron microscope. The bean was frozen with liquid nitrogen, then broken to reveal the inner cell structures. Cell walls are shown grey, with droplets of oil within - these contain the flavour and caffeine in coffee.
    2/16

    Coffee Beans

    The cells of a coffee bean, seen through an electron microscope. The bean was frozen with liquid nitrogen, then broken to reveal the inner cell structures. Cell walls are shown grey, with droplets of oil within - these contain the flavour and caffeine in coffee.
    WENN
  • A 3D reconstruction of a patient's head and neck from CT scans, with iodine used to higlight the blood vessels.
    3/16

    Skull and spine cross-section

    A 3D reconstruction of a patient's head and neck from CT scans, with iodine used to higlight the blood vessels.
    WENN
  • Also known as Jewel wasps or Emerald wasps, Cuckoo wasps are known for their brilliantly coloured bodies. This image is a composite of traditional microscope and electron microscope images.
    4/16

    Cuckoo Wasp head

    Also known as Jewel wasps or Emerald wasps, Cuckoo wasps are known for their brilliantly coloured bodies. This image is a composite of traditional microscope and electron microscope images.
    WENN
  • Electron microscope photograph of cancerous skin cells dividing. Unlike healthy cells, cancer cells lack the protein that tells them to stop splitting into new cells.
    5/16

    Dividing cancer cells

    Electron microscope photograph of cancerous skin cells dividing. Unlike healthy cells, cancer cells lack the protein that tells them to stop splitting into new cells.
    WENN
  • The skin of this chameleon embryo has been removed and the skeleton treated with chemical stains, which colour cartilage blue and bone red.
    6/16

    Chameleon Skeleton

    The skin of this chameleon embryo has been removed and the skeleton treated with chemical stains, which colour cartilage blue and bone red.
    WENN
  • A triple-exposure photograph showing a falling sycamore seed. The wing of the seed can be seen spiralling down from the branch.
    7/16

    Spiralling Sycamore

    A triple-exposure photograph showing a falling sycamore seed. The wing of the seed can be seen spiralling down from the branch.
    WENN
  • Gemtoo and Chinstrap penguins playing on an ice floe near Danko Island, Antarctica. The Gemtoo penguin is the fastest of the species, capable of reaching 22mph underwater.
    8/16

    Penguins

    Gemtoo and Chinstrap penguins playing on an ice floe near Danko Island, Antarctica. The Gemtoo penguin is the fastest of the species, capable of reaching 22mph underwater.
    WENN
  • Here a leafcutter ant can be seen clutching a micro-mechanical gear, measuring just 0.1mm wide. The gear is laser cut from a film of plastic. This image has been digitally coloured.
    9/16

    Leaf cutter ant with gear

    Here a leafcutter ant can be seen clutching a micro-mechanical gear, measuring just 0.1mm wide. The gear is laser cut from a film of plastic. This image has been digitally coloured.
    WENN
  • A series of Computer Tomography (CT) scans enabled scientists to construct a 3D image of a patient's chest, showing an implanted mechanical heart pump (in blue). This image was used to check the connection between the aorta and the left side of the heart while the patient was awaiting heart surgery.
    10/16

    Heart Pump visualisation

    A series of Computer Tomography (CT) scans enabled scientists to construct a 3D image of a patient's chest, showing an implanted mechanical heart pump (in blue). This image was used to check the connection between the aorta and the left side of the heart while the patient was awaiting heart surgery.
    WENN
  • This is the base of a mosquito's antenna. Taken with an electron microscope, it has been artificially coloured. The white strands are a common fungus which can be used as a pesticide.
    11/16

    Mosquito antenna

    This is the base of a mosquito's antenna. Taken with an electron microscope, it has been artificially coloured. The white strands are a common fungus which can be used as a pesticide.
    WENN
  • Photograph of a baby born with a cleft palate. A result of two parts of the skull failing to fuse together correctly, cleft palates are normally treated with surgery shortly after birth to prevent problems with feeding.
    12/16

    Baby crying

    Photograph of a baby born with a cleft palate. A result of two parts of the skull failing to fuse together correctly, cleft palates are normally treated with surgery shortly after birth to prevent problems with feeding.
    WENN
  • These chalky pebbles are gallstones. Formed from mineral deposits and excess bile in the gall bladder, they can be removed surgically or destroyed using focussed ultrasound waves.
    13/16

    Gallstones

    These chalky pebbles are gallstones. Formed from mineral deposits and excess bile in the gall bladder, they can be removed surgically or destroyed using focussed ultrasound waves.
    WENN
  • Shot in a dark room with an infrared camera, the only source of heat is the woman's body. Blue represents the coolest areas, moving through green and yellow to red and magenta for the warmest.
    14/16

    Heat view of woman

    Shot in a dark room with an infrared camera, the only source of heat is the woman's body. Blue represents the coolest areas, moving through green and yellow to red and magenta for the warmest.
    WENN
  • A scientist holds the tiny fossilised jawbone of <i>Bishops whitmorei</i>, a mammal that lives in Australia 115 million years ago.
    15/16

    Fossil jawbone

    A scientist holds the tiny fossilised jawbone of Bishops whitmorei, a mammal that lives in Australia 115 million years ago.
    WENN
  • MRI and X-ray images have been combined with conventional photographic techniques to illustrate the anatomy and mechanics of drinking a glass of water.
    16/16

    Drinking water

    MRI and X-ray images have been combined with conventional photographic techniques to illustrate the anatomy and mechanics of drinking a glass of water.
    WENN
Taken from NASA's Wide Infrared Survey Explorer spacecraft, this shows the Great Orion Nebula - a vast cloud of dust and gas 100 light years across.
The cells of a coffee bean, seen through an electron microscope. The bean was frozen with liquid nitrogen, then broken to reveal the inner cell structures. Cell walls are shown grey, with droplets of oil within - these contain the flavour and caffeine in coffee.
A 3D reconstruction of a patient's head and neck from CT scans, with iodine used to higlight the blood vessels.
Also known as Jewel wasps or Emerald wasps, Cuckoo wasps are known for their brilliantly coloured bodies. This image is a composite of traditional microscope and electron microscope images.
Electron microscope photograph of cancerous skin cells dividing. Unlike healthy cells, cancer cells lack the protein that tells them to stop splitting into new cells.
The skin of this chameleon embryo has been removed and the skeleton treated with chemical stains, which colour cartilage blue and bone red.
A triple-exposure photograph showing a falling sycamore seed. The wing of the seed can be seen spiralling down from the branch.
Gemtoo and Chinstrap penguins playing on an ice floe near Danko Island, Antarctica. The Gemtoo penguin is the fastest of the species, capable of reaching 22mph underwater.
Here a leafcutter ant can be seen clutching a micro-mechanical gear, measuring just 0.1mm wide. The gear is laser cut from a film of plastic. This image has been digitally coloured.
A series of Computer Tomography (CT) scans enabled scientists to construct a 3D image of a patient's chest, showing an implanted mechanical heart pump (in blue). This image was used to check the connection between the aorta and the left side of the heart while the patient was awaiting heart surgery.
This is the base of a mosquito's antenna. Taken with an electron microscope, it has been artificially coloured. The white strands are a common fungus which can be used as a pesticide.
Photograph of a baby born with a cleft palate. A result of two parts of the skull failing to fuse together correctly, cleft palates are normally treated with surgery shortly after birth to prevent problems with feeding.
These chalky pebbles are gallstones. Formed from mineral deposits and excess bile in the gall bladder, they can be removed surgically or destroyed using focussed ultrasound waves.
Shot in a dark room with an infrared camera, the only source of heat is the woman's body. Blue represents the coolest areas, moving through green and yellow to red and magenta for the warmest.
A scientist holds the tiny fossilised jawbone of <i>Bishops whitmorei</i>, a mammal that lives in Australia 115 million years ago.
MRI and X-ray images have been combined with conventional photographic techniques to illustrate the anatomy and mechanics of drinking a glass of water.
Updated

Taken from the Royal Photographic Society's forthcoming International Images for Science exhibition, this fantastic array of pictures ranges from the microscopic to the astronomical. The exhibition, which showcases the work of 54 scientists, is on tour around the UK before being taken to Europe. Among the subjects pictured are the cells of a coffee bean, the Orion nebula, the antenna of a mosquito and the skeleton of a baby chameleon. The exhibition also highlights advances in medical imaging techniques, with multi-level scans used to create 3D reconstructions of patients' bodies.
Find out more about the exhibition here.