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Wolf-Rayet stars are known to be efficient dust producers, and the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) on NASA?s James Webb Space Telescope shows this to great effect. Cooler cosmic dust glows at the longer mid-infrared wavelengths, displaying the structure of WR 124?s nebula. The nebula is made of material cast off from the aging star in random ejections, and from dust produced in the ensuing turbulence. This brilliant stage of mass loss precedes the star?s eventual supernova, when nuclear fusion in its core stops and the pressure of gravity causes it to collapse in on itself, and then explode. As MIRI demonstrates here, Webb will help astronomers to explore questions that were previously only left to theory about how much dust stars like this create before exploding in a supernova, and how much of that dust is large enough to survive the blast and go on to serve as building blocks of future stars and planets.

Space

Six of the most amazing space pictures from 2023

This year saw an extraordinary number of awe-inspiring images of objects in space, thanks in part to the James Webb Space Telescope. Here are the ones that dazzled us most and why they are important

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Snow Leopard Starry Night: How A Rare Image Can Bring Big Protections This is a wildlife first: a snow leopard captured under a starry night sky in stunning fidelity. An image that could help protect the species by turning a neglected area into a protected park.

Life

First ever photo of a snow leopard under a starry sky is spectacular

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Looking At Trees Anna_Beeke-p8-?Anna Beeke

Life

See a very special spruce - the Tree of Life in Washington state

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Artist's tulip photos capture transience of life

Life

Artist's tulip photos capture transience of life

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Les scientifiques du CNRS et de l?universit? chilienne d?Antofagasta collectent des ?chantillons et de l?eau sur la Laguna Roja au nord du Chili. Avec un petit canot pneumatique, ils vont s?aventurer sur ce lac d?arsenic pour r?colter avec une bouteille sp?ciale, de l?eau ? diff?rente profondeur pour faire des analyses chimiques et voir si des microorganismes arrivent ? vivre dans ces conditions extr?mes.

Life

Chile's Atacama salt flats captured in spectacular drone shot

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Planet Earth III book - page 11 The sharks, though, are in for a surprise because the adult seals mob them instead of fleeing (opposite bottom).

Life

See a mob of seals save their pups from a shark in Planet Earth III

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1st Place Hassanain Qambari & Jayden Dickson The Lions Eye Institute Department of Physiology & Pharmacology Perth, Western Australia, Australia Rodent optic nerve head showing astrocytes (yellow), contractile proteins (red) and retinal vasculature (green) Confocal, Fluorescence, Image Stacking 20X (Objective Lens Magnification)

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Intricate photo of rat's retina wins Nikon Small World competition

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Name: Glacier Requiem Location: Rh?ne Glacier The picture presents a view of the Rhone Glacier, a significant entity in the Swiss Alps. However, the glacier's usual icy-blue appearance is replaced with a stark grey, a consequence of being covered in UV protection sheets. This intervention is a result of efforts to slow the glacier's rapid melting due to climate change. The sheets, an unconventional sight in such a natural landscape, offer a physical representation of the impact of global warming on our planet. A person, a small figure in the grand scheme of the landscape, is seen walking atop the sheets. This human presence serves as a reminder of our role in the glacier's current state and the measures being taken to protect it. The Rhone Glacier is a vital natural resource, playing several critical roles in the local and global ecosystem. As the primary source of the Rhone River, it provides essential freshwater for ecosystems and human activities downstream in Switzerland and France, supporting agriculture and hydroelectric power generation. The glacier's health directly affects these water-dependent systems. Furthermore, it's a significant climate change indicator. Its rapid retreat, losing around 40% of its volume in the past century, visually demonstrates the impacts of global warming. Additionally, the glacier supports unique alpine ecosystems and contributes to biodiversity. Paulo Sousa from Porto, Portugal Winner of Photographer of the Year

Environment

Prize-winning photos highlight the impact of climate change on nature

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Close up of a horseshoe crab

Video

Winning images from Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023

Video

Hiroshi Sugimoto: 'I'm borrowing important scientists' experiences'

Video

Hiroshi Sugimoto: 'I'm borrowing important scientists' experiences'

Hiroshi Sugimoto's retrospective puts the influential photographer's scientific inspiration on show

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Life

Winning images from Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023

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Life

Fascinating photos of fungi show their diversity

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Life

See this award-winning shot of a reef manta ray taken by a drone

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See the remarkable photos up for Astronomy Photographer of the Year

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