Images Dated 15th April 2004

Humpback whales exhaling

Humpback whales exhaling in calm waters off the Antarctic Peninsula. When a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) exhales, air is released from the whale's blowhole, the nostril on the top of its head. The humpback whale may reach a length of 15 metres and weigh up to 27 tonnes. It is known for the impressive leaps that it makes out of the water and for its long vocalisations, which are more elaborate than in any other known whale song. Humpback whales are found in the deep waters of the coastal regions of all the world's oceans. They are one of the whale species most threatened with extinction

© DAVID VAUGHAN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Abstract image of man with shattered personality

MODEL RELEASED. Shattered or split personality. Computer-enhanced abstract image of a man's terror-filled face seen through a shattered glass effect, depicting "split" or disordered personality or identity crisis. Split personality is also known as multiple personality. It is a rare form of mental illness in which a person has two or more personalities each dominating at different times. Schizophrenia is a separate and psychotic illness which leads to a state of shattered and deluded thinking in which reason and logic becomes distorted. Some schizophrenics also suffer from hallucination, which may be portrayed by the glassy nature of this image

© VICTOR DE SCHWANBERG/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Mummified foot resting on DNA autoradiograms

Mummy's foot. Close-up of the foot of an Egyptian mummy on autoradiograms. The autoradiograms are X- ray prints made from DNA extracted from the foot. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the molecule responsible for carrying the genetic code. It holds the code as a series of pairs of bases along the length of the molecule. The dark bands on the autoradiogram represent the positions of specific bases in the DNA, and thus the genetic code. This "DNA fingerprint" is different for every individual, and familial traits can be traced by studying it. Taking DNA from preserved humans gives a good account of how humans spread across the world from the point of their evolution

© VOLKER STEGER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY