This laser rainbow projection is a project from artist Yvette Mattern. It's a kind of a promotion for the London Olympics; it'll shine along the North Tyneside coastline for four days.
This laser rainbow projection is a project from artist Yvette Mattern. It's a kind of a promotion for the London Olympics; it'll shine along the North Tyneside coastline for four days. Bethany Clarke/Getty Images
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This week’s image roundup includes laser rainbows, cars exploding, a bat with the weirdest nose we have ever seen on an animal we didn’t drunkenly draw ourselves as part of a board game, edible silk, and a moth that (if we irresponsibly exaggerate to the point of sheer fiction, abandoning all pretense of scientific accuracy or objective reporting) can and will literally eat you whole. Enjoy!

Click to see the most amazing images of the week.

This Atlas moth is in a defensive posture, making itself seem bigger than it really is. It's probably not necessary; this species is the largest moth in the world, with a whopping 10-inch wingspan. Read more at <a href="http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2012/02/a-giant-among-moths.html">New Scientist</a>.

Mothra Is Real

This Atlas moth is in a defensive posture, making itself seem bigger than it really is. It’s probably not necessary; this species is the largest moth in the world, with a whopping 10-inch wingspan. Read more at New Scientist.
Astronomer Bill Snyder snapped this pic of Thor's Helmet, a huge cosmic cloud in the Canis Nebula, about 15,000 light-years from Earth. Read more <a href="http://www.space.com/14703-thors-helmet-nebula-photo-skywatching.html?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+spaceheadlines+%28SPACE.com+Headline+Feed%29">here</a>.

Thor’s Helmet

Astronomer Bill Snyder snapped this pic of Thor’s Helmet, a huge cosmic cloud in the Canis Nebula, about 15,000 light-years from Earth. Read more here.
Did you miss our review of the Lytro light-field camera, possibly the most exciting change in photo technology in, well, maybe decades? We won't hold it against you. Read it <a href="https://www.popsci.com/gadgets/article/2012-02/testing-best-lytro-light-field-camera/">here</a>.

Photo Revolution

Did you miss our review of the Lytro light-field camera, possibly the most exciting change in photo technology in, well, maybe decades? We won’t hold it against you. Read it here.
This laser rainbow projection is a project from artist Yvette Mattern. It's a kind of a promotion for the London Olympics; it'll shine along the North Tyneside coastline for four days.

Laser Rainbow

This laser rainbow projection is a project from artist Yvette Mattern. It’s a kind of a promotion for the London Olympics; it’ll shine along the North Tyneside coastline for four days.
This is our first look at the Alborz Space Center, Iran's very first aerospace facility. Journalists were allowed in, but it doesn't seem like there was a lot to see--the images of the facility are mostly of this one sad room that looks more like a high school computer lab than a space center in a country run by a lunatic. More info <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/29/iran-space-program-alborz_n_1309342.html">here</a>.

Iranian Space Program

This is our first look at the Alborz Space Center, Iran’s very first aerospace facility. Journalists were allowed in, but it doesn’t seem like there was a lot to see–the images of the facility are mostly of this one sad room that looks more like a high school computer lab than a space center in a country run by a lunatic. More info here.
We love bats. We will never not love bats. We even love the peculiar leaf-nosed bat--that odd nose is not a mutation, it's a common feature of a particular family of bats in Southeast Asia. The folds of skin in the nose area are suspected to help with echolocation, but nobody really knows for sure. This particular guy is the <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/02/120223-new-bat-species-vietnam-animals-science/">newly-discovered</a> Griffin's leaf-nosed bat.

Leaf-Nosed Bat

We love bats. We will never not love bats. We even love the peculiar leaf-nosed bat–that odd nose is not a mutation, it’s a common feature of a particular family of bats in Southeast Asia. The folds of skin in the nose area are suspected to help with echolocation, but nobody really knows for sure. This particular guy is the newly-discovered Griffin’s leaf-nosed bat.
We'll just quote from our buddies at <a href="http://www.americanphotomag.com/photo-gallery/2012/03/best-photojournalism-week-march-1-2012">American Photo Mag</a>, who found this great image. Check out their weekly images roundup for amazing photojournalism and beautiful photography on any subject. Getty Images stringer John Harrelson made this image at the Daytona 500 when driver Juan Pablo Montoya collided with a dryer truck on the track during a caution. The truck was filled with jet fuel, causing a huge explosion. You can see more of John's work on his <a href="http://www.harrelsonphoto.com/index.html">website</a>.

Car Go Boom

We’ll just quote from our buddies at American Photo Mag, who found this great image. Check out their weekly images roundup for amazing photojournalism and beautiful photography on any subject. Getty Images stringer John Harrelson made this image at the Daytona 500 when driver Juan Pablo Montoya collided with a dryer truck on the track during a caution. The truck was filled with jet fuel, causing a huge explosion. You can see more of John’s work on his website.
We still don't totally understand the appeal of the <a href="https://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2012-01/finding-fun-one-brick-time/">build-your-own-fun</a> indie game Minecraft, but we always appreciate a good cat video--even if the cats in question are apparently made of Lego blocks and exploding into existence at a terrifying rate. Check out the video <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNw2YcAK9Wc">here</a>.

Spontaneously Created Square Cats

We still don’t totally understand the appeal of the build-your-own-fun indie game Minecraft, but we always appreciate a good cat video–even if the cats in question are apparently made of Lego blocks and exploding into existence at a terrifying rate. Check out the video here.
For some reason, Playboy decided to hire an artist to conceptualize an "adult entertainment establishment in orbit." Ideas include zero-grav clubs with trampolines so you can bounce off the walls and ceiling. Read more <a href="http://news.discovery.com/space/playboy-plans-club-in-space-120229.html#mkcpgn=rssnws1">here</a>.

Playboy Club in Space

For some reason, Playboy decided to hire an artist to conceptualize an “adult entertainment establishment in orbit.” Ideas include zero-grav clubs with trampolines so you can bounce off the walls and ceiling. Read more here.
Researchers at Tufts University developed a little sensor made out of silk and gold that you stick to food. It can tell you whether the food has gone bad, useful for stuff like eggs and dairy products. More interestingly, the sensor itself is edible. Who knew you could eat silk? Read more at <a href="http://www.fastcoexist.com/1679384/chew-on-this-edible-silk-sensors-to-monitor-your-food">Fast CoExist</a>.

Edible Silk?

Researchers at Tufts University developed a little sensor made out of silk and gold that you stick to food. It can tell you whether the food has gone bad, useful for stuff like eggs and dairy products. More interestingly, the sensor itself is edible. Who knew you could eat silk? Read more at Fast CoExist.