Science Visualized

  1. Astronomy

    Watch the oldest surviving film of a total solar eclipse

    A short film of the 1900 total solar eclipse was restored by conservation experts and is now available to view online.

    By Lisa Grossman
  2. Health & Medicine

    One number can help explain why measles is so contagious

    The basic reproduction number, or "R naught," of measles shows how contagious the disease is compared with other pathogens.

    By Helen Thompson
  3. Animals

    Peacock spiders’ superblack spots reflect just 0.5 percent of light

    By manipulating light with tiny structures, patches on peacock spiders appear superblack, helping accentuate the arachnids’ bright colors.

    By Carolyn Wilke
  4. Animals

    These award-winning photographs capture rarely seen wildlife and landscapes

    Winners of the California Academy of Sciences’ annual photo contest dove deep underwater and hiked to great heights to create these striking images.