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From top to bottom: Extinction map at 3, 2 and 1 kiloparsec. The map is coloured according to how much dust lies in each direction in the northern Milky Way. The red/brown areas are dustiest directions.

NASA's NEOWISE mission captured a series of infrared images of comet C/2012 K1 -- also referred to as comet Pan-STARRS -- as it swept across our skies in May 2014.

OCO-2 will become the leader of the Afternoon Constellation, or A-Train, as shown in this artist's concept. Japan's Global Change Observation Mission - Water (GCOM-W1) satellite and NASA's Aqua, CALIPSO, CloudSat and Aura satellites follow.

The little-known cloud of cosmic gas and dust called Gum 15 is the birthplace and home of hot young stars. Beautiful and deadly, these stars mould the appearance of their mother nebula and, as they progress into adulthood, will eventually also be the death of her.

A galaxy about 23 million light-years away is the site of impressive, ongoing, fireworks. Rather than paper, powder, and fire, this galactic light show involves a giant black hole, shock waves, and vast reservoirs of gas.

The test vehicle for NASA's Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator rides on a balloon to high altitudes above Hawaii

Mechanical oscillators translate an applied force into measureable mechanical motion. The Standard Quantum Limit is imposed by the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, in which the measurement itself perturbs the motion of the oscillator, a phenomenon known as “quantum back-action.”

This image shows a quantum dot "molecule" consisting of three 6-atom indium chains. In the top panel, the molecule has perfect three-fold symmetry and therefore a doubly degenerate state. In the lower three panels, the symmetry is progressively broken to explore how the degeneracy disappears.

The aim of the research was to investigate the production method of a type of hydroxyapatite that is compatible with human body and has desirable mechanical properties such as higher strength and higher resistance against abrasion and scratch. During the investigation of the desired properties, nano-identation and nano-scratch tests were successfully carried out on hydroxyapatite samples.

Saudi Arabia’s government should clarify whether it is infecting and monitoring mobile phones with surveillance malware, Human Rights Watch said. Saudi officials should also say whether and how they intend to protect the rights of those targeted to privacy and free expression.