This approach, based on 40-year-old designs, can turn flexible objects into something rigid, creating a variety of shapes and structures. Link in bio to read more 🔗
Credit: Jiaji Li/MIT CSAIL
A few years ago, scientists put a dead salmon inside an fMRI scanner and appeared to find evidence of life after death. Maybe there was a little fishy heaven up there after all. But these results were not all they seemed to be at first glance. The shock finding was actually a sharp reminder that results from even the fanciest high-tech equipment can be extraordinarily misleading if not understood correctly. Link in bio 🔗
Ahem, *puts on best David Attenborough impression*: Here, we see a remora hitching a ride on a manta ray. These suckerfish are equipped with mouths made for clinging, but it’s not interested in riding on the manta ray's back. Oh no, this fish is hitching a ride on the inside.
Read more about "cloacal diving" via the link in the bio 🔗
How do you photograph the Sun?
As we know, staring directly at our star is a seriously bad idea. Solar astrophotography is a challenge because there is too much light, so you have to find a safe way to filter it. Images like this one taken by Dr Anthony Funnell use specialized solar filters that block almost all of the Sun’s intense light while revealing fine details in the solar atmosphere.
The resulting images can reveal solar prominences - plasma structures extending from its surface - and other structures shaped by powerful magnetic fields. Capturing these fleeting features requires specialist equipment, patience, precision, and a clear sky. You can try this at home, but be very, very careful.
Image courtesy of Dr Anthony Funnell
