This week’s roundup of the best science images fits in a wide range. Above, we have a striking (non-Photoshopped!) look at the results of a toxic red spill in Hungary. But we’ve also included the first photo ever put on the Web — which has aged just about as poorly as you’d expect. Plus electrified fish, spacecraft in transit, and more.
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The First Photo on the Web
Known better for the history behind it than its artistic qualities (or lack there of), the full story of this image of science girl-group The Cernettes was recently unearthed by Motherboard. It’s a great read, so be sure to check out the whole article here.
Sifting Starlight
New tech offers a better view of exoplanets by using advanced optics to remove the starlight from a photograph. Here’s a look at HD 157728, a nearby star 1.5 times larger than the sun. Be sure to check out the whole story here.
Roller Coaster Demolition
In Dartmouth, Mass., an amusement park is being cleared to make way for housing and commercial developments. This disorienting shot comes courtesy of photographer Peter Pereira.
Soyuz TMA-05M Spacecraft
An International Space Station crew is due to make the journey outside Earth on Sunday, but preparations have already started. Here, a policeman secures the area in front of the Soyuz TMA-05M spacecraft in Kazakhstan.
Mars Panorama
It took 817 images to create a composite panoramic view from NASA’s Mars rover, but the results are worth the effort, offering a rare glimpse of the red planet. For more on the image, check out PopPhoto.
Solar Storm
A solar flare erupted from the Sun on Thursday, colorized red by NASA. It looks more than a little threatening, but space weather scientists said it shouldn’t have much impact on Earth.
Dark Galaxies
For the first time, astronomers have been able to get a better look at starless “dark galaxies,” theorized to exist but never directly seen. Even now, it takes some annotation in this image. The quasar lighting them up is circled in red; the dark galaxies are circled in blue. Read the whole story here.
Hungary’s Thick Red Line
A toxic aluminum spill in Hungary killed nine people and forced thousands to evacuate the area. Left behind were a series of strange effects on the landscape. Spanish photographer Palíndromo Mészáros documented the damage, and American Photo collected his work from the project here.
China Air Force Parachuters
As part of a celebration for China’s upcoming Army Day, parachuters from the Aerobatic Team descended from the sky.
Stunned Fish
Scientists are using an electric current, shown here, to stun fish in Mississippi and Illinois rivers so they can be studied. It’s thought the local fish populations might be hurt by the arrival of Asian Carp, and researchers are scooping up the stunned fish for a closer look.
Supercell
Photographer Camille Seaman took a series of breathtaking photos of a recent thunderstorm–known as a supercell–in Nebraska. They’re lovely and foreboding at the same time. Find more of them here.