Selfies From Space, Slush Waves, And Other Amazing Images Of The Week

Weight Loss In Action

Researchers at the University of Iowa took this colorized infrared image of two mice–one treated with an injection to make its muscles more efficient–to show how much energy the mice burned. The injection site, circled, burned more calories, providing promising results for the weight loss treatment.

Mars Selfie

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover snapped this selfie with the camera at the end of its robotic arm. The image, which combines several images to give a better view of the area, shows the “Mojave” drilling site.

Drilling Into The Red Planet

In other Mars rover news, Curiosity drilled into the planet this week to collect a sample of the rock target “Telegraph Peak.” The site, which is slightly smaller than a dime, shows that the red planet isn’t all red–this soil sample is heavier in silicon than others collected by Curiosity.

Missile Launch

This photo of a missile launched from a Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker gives a great view of the Russian fighter jet. The R-73 is a short-range missile that can “see” targets up to 40 degrees off its centerline, according to The Aviationist.

Ice Caves

Dazzling giant icicles hang from a cave in the Apostles Islands. If you live up in northern Wisconsin, you can visit the caves starting Saturday, because the ice on Lake Superior is now thick enough to walk to the caves.

Spacewalk Selfie

NASA was all over selfies this week, as astronauts Barry Wilmore and Terry Virts went for a spacewalk.This one, of Wilmore, does what every great selfie should: It captures a stunning view with a little behind-the-scenes angle in the helmet’s reflection.

Sparklemuffin

Two new species of peacock spiders were discovered in Australia. Nicknamed “Sparklemuffin” (pictured) and “Skeletorus,” these spiders are the most recent in a batch of new species identified in recent years.

Stifling Smog

Greenpeace released this image to show just how bad the smog in Beijing is. China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection reported only 8 of 74 surveyed cities hit their air quality targets even after China launched a campaign against air pollution.

Supermassive Black Hole

Scientists at Peking University discovered this supermassive black hole, which is 12 billion times more massive than the Sun. This rendering of a bright quasar around a supermassive black hole shows how much energy the black hole creates.