February’s Fascinating Science Pictures
A cat, listening to the radio.
Image credits: Abi Tansley
(Inside Science) -- This month, we take a look at new pictures from across the science world. In Chile, an astronomy observatory captured a stunning view of the night sky. In South Carolina, a crew of airmen help one another don protective gear during a training for medical transport. And of course, here is this picture of a cute, calm cat!
Yes, that’s a cat listening to a radio. A study published by the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery suggests that vet visits can be made less stressful by playing cats specific music. The study shows that cats remain physiologically responsive to music even under general anesthesia, and that they appear to be more relaxed listening to classical music, as opposed to pop or heavy metal. (Abi Tansley)
A research site boasting one of the darkest skies on Earth is located deep in the Chilean Atacama Desert. This is ESO’s Paranal Observatory, where the extreme darkness allows one to take radiant, technicolor images of the night sky. Imaged above is a phenomenon called airglow, the radiant glow of radiation emitted from atoms and molecules combining in the atmosphere. (Y. Beletsky (LCO)/ESO)
U.S. Air Force airmen are pictured here, assisting each other with protective equipment during a training for transportation isolation in South Carolina. The equipment was engineered after the Ebola outbreak in 2014 and is now used to safely transport patients with diseases like novel coronavirus, COVID-19. (U.S. Air Force/Senior Airman Cody R. Miller)
A study published in the journal Current Biology found that jellyfish held by ultrasoft robotic fingers exhibit fewer stress-related genes. Marine biologists have adopted this tool, pictured here, to conduct their undersea research. (Anand Varma)
Here, a female glowworm emits light in order to attract a mate. However, researchers are concerned that light pollution might be threatening her future. Habitat loss and pesticide use are also significant problems for the preservation of these glowing creatures. (Jason Steel)
