u/SystematicApproach

Photographs by JAVIER AZNAR GONZÁLEZ DE RUEDA

Fluorescence is widespread in insects and arachnids. Why that’s the case, though, is a mystery. Scientists have hypotheses: It might help with camouflage, signaling to mates, or sun protection. But hard evidence is scarce.

During night walks, Aznar scouts for his multi-legged models, scanning the ground with a UV flashlight for telltale pops of neon.

To get the best shots, he modified a pair of off-camera flashes to emit UV light, which, he says, “shows us the world in a different way.” The resulting portraits reveal what’s hidden: dun-colored scorpions glowing aquamarine, caterpillars with soft hairs, and insects with bright spots that match their surroundings.

When second-grade teacher Lexi McClelland met 7-year-old Mary in 2020, she knew almost immediately there was something special about her.

Mary walked into class singing her own name to the tune of a WWE entrance song. She was funny, creative, loved books, and had the kind of personality that could light up a classroom.

Lexi soon learned Mary had already been through four foster homes.

Despite everything she had experienced, Mary kept showing up with resilience, humor, curiosity, and a love of learning. Lexi watched a bright little girl navigate a difficult start to life while continuing to be kind, funny, and full of personality.

What began as teacher and student slowly became something deeper. Lexi saw a child who needed stability, support, and someone who wouldn’t give up on her.

Less than two years later, Lexi adopted Mary.

People in their community compare them to Miss Honey and Matilda.

Photo by Lara Jackson, UK

Lara spotted this female lion as it leapt upon a wildebeest. As she watched, the big cat began to eat its still-struggling prey.

Texas Tech graduate Makaela Muse earned her Bachelor of Science in Animal Science with her service dog Sadie by her side every step of the way. Sadie attended classes, labs, and late-night study sessions, so when they crossed the graduation stage together, the university surprised Sadie with her own “dogploma.”

further reading

This is what the AI power grid looks like.

The dots are data centers.
Yellow = operating.
Orange = under construction.
White = planned.

The lines are high-voltage transmission 735kV, 500kV, 345kV

From the British Museum:

Mould-made pottery lamp with a voluted rounded-tipped nozzle, a rounded shoulder and an inward-sloping moulded rim. Between the nozzle volutes is an air-slit. The discus is decorated with two lovers on a bed: the woman kneels on her left leg and supports herself on her hands; the man kneels and approaches from behind, holding up the woman's right leg. The lamp stands on a slightly raised base. Covered with a worn orange-brown slip.

credit

Male dancers often move entirely on tiptoe in soft leather boots, without the rigid plaster or wooden support associated with ballet footwear. The result is a fast, gliding step that can make the dancer appear to float or defy gravity, showcasing extraordinary balance, discipline, and control.

Rhodotus palmatus can produce red or orange droplets, especially on the stem, through a process called guttation, where excess moisture is exuded from the fruiting body. This “weeping” effect is not unique to this species, but it is striking against its peach-pink color and wrinkled, net-like cap.

edit: Credit to Jamie Hall for the original work.

Japan’s Kaguya/SELENE lunar orbiter found a vertical pit in the Moon’s Marius Hills region that scientists believe may be an opening into an underground lava tube. Later studies using NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter data strengthened the idea that some lunar pits connect to subsurface caves or tunnels. These structures could one day matter for lunar bases because they may offer natural protection from radiation, micrometeorites, and extreme temperature swings.