Images Dated 9th August 2002

Jumping spider, SEM

Jumping spider. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the head of a jumping spider (family Salticidae). Jumping spiders are visual hunters that creep up to their prey before leaping on them from a few centimetres away. The spider's eight eyes (purple) can be seen. They possess acute vision and are able to move their eyes up & down, left & right, forwards & backwards, and even to rotate them. Magnification: x30 at 6x7cm size

© STEVE GSCHMEISSNER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Coloured TEM of a rubella (German measles) virus

Rubella virus. Coloured transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of a single rubella virus, the causative agent of German measles. It consists of a lipoprotein coat or capsid (yellow) and a core containing single-stranded genetic RNA material (pink). The virus diameter is about 60 nanometres. Rubella belongs to the togavirus group of viruses. German measles is spread in airborne droplets, and occurs commonly in children as a mild rash. Rubella is a risk to unborn babies if the mother contracts the disease in the first four months of pregnancy. Rubella vaccine is now routinely given to young babies, which provides lasting immunity. Magnification: x324'000 at 6x6cm size. x250, 000 at 4.5x4.5cm original size

© PASIEKA/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Thermogram of a telephone

Thermogram of a telephone receiver. Thermograms show the emission of infrared radiation, displaying it as colour-coded surface temperatures. The range shown is from 23 degrees Celsius (purple), through blue, green and yellow, up to 35 degrees Celsius (red). The hand is gripping the telephone receiver very tightly. The fingers have less blood flow as a result and are therefore cooler (green yellow) than the rest of the arm. The telephone receiver is also hot (red) indicating that the plastic has absorbed heat from the hand

© Dr.Arthur Tucker/Science Photo Library