Down Syndrome Awarness

 

Last month was Down Syndrome Awareness Month. According to The National Down Syndrome Society, the month is an opportunity to spread awareness about people with Down Syndrome by celebrating their abilities and accomplishments, rather than their disability.

Stock image and video gallery of down syndrome awareness

Over the years, The National Down Syndrome Society has devoted itself to the specific health and education needs of people with Down Syndrome. The NDSS raises money through direct donations and fundraisers such as the Buddywalk each election year. They also advocate for legal protections for people with down syndrome and fight to preserve government assistance programs.

Down Syndrome is one of the most common chromosomal diseases, affecting about 6,000 newborns each year. While there is no cure for Down Syndrome, organizations such as the NDSS continue to provide people with the condition with the help and opportunities they need to live happy and fulfilling lives. As their website mentions, people with Down Syndrome drive cars, go to college, get jobs, date, and get married every day! Find out how you can help them fulfill their dreams by visiting the NDSS website below.

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At Science Source, we proudly celebrate people from different backgrounds and experiences. We are excited to celebrate Down Syndrome Awareness Month by offering a broad and inclusive selection of stock images and videos.

The National Down Syndrome Society

Neurigenetics

 Neurogenetics is the study of the nervous system as it pertains to genetics. Using phenotypes, or observable characteristics and traits, neurogenetics attempts to reach conclusions about individuals of one or more species on the basis of hereditary.

Seymour Benzer, considered by many as the father of neurogenetics, made his first discovery in the field of neurogenetics when he pinpointed a link between the circadian rhythm and genes. He found that animals go through cycles of sleeping and waking naturally and not by anything learned or developed. This led him to further investigations in the traits and behaviors of individuals as they relate to genetics. Benzer went on to make groundbreaking discoveries in neurodegeneration when he discovered similarities between fruit fly and human genes. This helped him isolate neurological diseases in humans.

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Advances in molecular biology and the species-wide genome project have made it possible to map an individual's entire genome. While this information is key to understanding neurobiology, a comprehensive picture of an individual’s traits and behaviors can only be achieved by taking into account additional factors.

The classic debate of nature vs. nurture clarifies that one’s genes are not the only determinant of a given biological outcome. Science reveals that traits and behaviors are due to a confluence of many genes, as well as regulatory factors like neurotransmitter levels and one’s environmental influences.

New developments in genetic engineering are being used to alter genetic material to potentially negate or suppress the effects of genetically linked diseases. Innovations in technologies, such as CRISPR, allow genetic material to be added, removed, or altered at particular locations in the genome.

 It is possible that one day genetic editing could be used to cure neurogenic diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's. Research on this front, however, is still ongoing.

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Medical Micrographs: a View into the Human Body

 

science has advanced exponentially in the last century. Even just the way the human body and pathology are viewed. We’ve gone from the basic x-ray to be able to see a single cell in the human body. Or even smaller.

One of the most fascinating innovations has been the Scanning Electron Micrograph, often referred to simply as an SEM for short. It has revealed hidden worlds of the human body, medical, and of course the natural world as well.

Gallery of Medical and Anatomical SEMs (micrographs) Stock Photography

The scanning electron microscope was invented in 1937 by Manfred von Ardenne the SEM machine uses electrons to record the surface topography of objects.

SEM of Maple Leaf Tote bag

Plastic is Deadly

Young Northern Fur Seal tangled in a nylon rope and dragging nets, cables, and fishing wires, doomed to die of hunger.

While plastic items in our daily lives are designed for one-time use, they have a long life span, usually up to 1,000 years.

Plastic is also deadly. People consume thousands of plastic articles each year, which damage our health, especially our immune systems. Plastic particles are even in the air we breathe, floating in the remotest places from fields to mountains.

Stock Image of Plastic Pollution and Wildlife

For many animals plastic is lethal. Sea birds get caught in plastic fishing line and starve to death. Small mammals choke and die in 6-pack plastic rings. Dolphins and whales swallow plastic particles that block up their bodily systems. Sea turtles suffocate in plastic bags and floating debris prevents them from surfacing for air.

Luckily, as awareness grows, people are working to clean up plastic in the environment. New types of safe, biodegradable plastic are also coming on the market. We have a very long road ahead, but with more awareness and countries working towards a common goal, we have a more hopeful future.

plastic pollution, wildlife, animals, plastic in our lives

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Alchemy and the Road to Science

Today alchemy conjures up images of boiling cauldrons and magic elixirs, but the past reveals its lasting impact on the foundation of science.

Alchemy began in ancient Egypt, sometime between the 4th and 3rd century BC, with the aim of transmuting base metals (i.e led) into noble metals, such as gold.

In the 8th century AD, Arab alchemists invented the first laboratories for transmutation, creating complex methods of classification and documentation. Jabir ibn Hayyan and Muhammad ibn Zakarīya Rāzi even made breakthroughs in chemistry, discovering sulfuric and hydrochloric acid.

Alchemy Stock Photos

Islamic alchemy inspired the later European search for the philosopher’s stone, an object believed to turn base metals into gold and bestow its owner with eternal life. The investigation lasted hundreds of years and although unsuccessful, produced countless experiments and lengthy chronicles of their results.

The pursuit of the philosopher’s stone was echoed in China by the search for the elixir of immortality. Like the Europeans, the Chinese alchemists believed in the medicinal power of metals and used them in their potions. Famously, the Jiajing Emperor of the Ming Dynasty drank a fatal dosage of mercury, believing it was the famed elixir.

During the 17th century, Robert Boyle invented modern methods of chemical investigation. Boyle’s highly controlled experiments made alchemy appear blunt and archaic. Alchemy became associated with superstition and the occult and quickly fell out of favor.

Although it had a brief revival in the 18th century with the spiritualist movement, alchemy remained the fancy of counter culture.

While alchemy’s past may be meandering and at times ridiculous, its impact on science and the world that followed is undeniable. For more alchemy images click the links above and be sure to check out our storefront for great chemistry products!

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• wikipedia.com
• Britannica.com
• Smithsonian.com

Have We Found the True Cause of Alzheimer's?

Alzheimer’s has been a mysterious disease ever since it was discovered. Considered to be a condition that fits into the dementia category, Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by physical changes in the brain that deteriorate brain function, cognitive ability, and memory in a certain pattern. People who are at least 65 years old are most often affected, however, there are also early-onset cases.

The progression of Alzheimer’s happens over decades and since the brain is such a complicated organ, it has been difficult for scientists to study.

The brain of the patient that had the first named case of Alzheimer’s disease was found to have amyloid (protein) plaques and tao tangles (tangles of fibers) within it. These abnormalities have long been considered by medical professionals to be one of the main causes of the disease, however recent studies suggest that the true cause could be another condition that happens initially, and this abnormal tissue growth may be a secondary symptom.

Stock Images and Stock Video of Alzheimer’s Disease

Scientists came out with new research this year that highlights chronic inflammation as one of the possible causes, based on the body’s tendency to kill off cells or change the genetic code within cells when inflamed for a long period of time. Alzheimer’s is considered a genetic disorder, meaning that it is caused by mutated genes. This also means that the disease can be inherited from a family member. Because the gene mutation that chronic inflammation causes can get worse as the body ages, it makes a good parallel to the fact that Alzheimer’s usually sets in at an older age.

Although inflammation seems to be a viable candidate, many studies still need to be conducted to see if anti-inflammatory drugs ease the progression or onset of Alzheimer's and dementia.

Currently, there are studies being conducted to find out if we would be able to use an existing anti-inflammatory drug as a treatment or preventative measure. If one is found to work, it would be more accessible to obtain as well as cheaper for both the patient and developers.

At this point in time Alzheimer’s is incurable and lifelong, however, if we are able to pinpoint the cause of this condition we will be able to prevent the onset of the disease and will be well on our way to finding a cure.

• medicalxpress.com/news/2018-09-scientists-reveal-ground-breaking-alzheimer-disease
• alz.org
• nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-disease-fact-sheet
• sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/05/180502104103.htm
• 
  

How the Stars Got Their Colors

After seeing hundreds of dazzling galaxies and nebulae in print, one might have a preconceived notion of what it’s like to look through a telescope. The reality, however, is somewhat different.

Celestial objects such as galaxies, star clusters, and planetary systems are some of the most beautiful treasures in outer space. Unfortunately, they’re so far away that they mostly appear faint to the naked eye, even when viewed through a telescope. The problem is that, unlike a camera, our eyes cannot adjust their exposure time in order to soak up more light from these distant objects.

For astrophotographers to get the vibrant colors of a nebula or galaxy, they need to rely on a number of techniques, including long exposures, color compositing and sometimes editing in post-production.

Eagle Nebula, Messier 16. SS2596669.

The famous Eagle Nebula pictured here is actually three monochromatic images mapped to different color wavelengths combined to create one image. Some might say that this makes it fake or embellished but the truth is more complicated.

The colors that astrophotographers use to create images like this reflect the chemicals in the celestial objects themselves, so they are drawn from real scientific data. Nevertheless, it’s still unclear how accurate the colors actually are.

Astrophotography Stock Image Gallery

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Of course, visual perception is always subjective, limited by our eyes and brain, so it’s worth considering how accurate our image of reality ever is.

What do you think?

Get a closer look with the astrophotography gallery below and be sure to visit our storefront for great astrophotography products.

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www.photographingspace.com

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The Quirky Beginning of Biomedical Research, with Royalty Free Images

Few of us give a second thought to popping an aspirin or any other over-the-counter painkiller for a minor ache or pain. Yet, this simple act wouldn’t be possible without the field of biomedical research.

Every parent can breathe easier knowing that there are vaccines against measles, whooping cough, polio, chickenpox, mumps, tetanus, and many other childhood diseases. Our modern world also affords us medication to help control diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and other life-threatening conditions.

Royalty Free Images of Biomedical Research

Part of any thorough research method is the clinical trial or the testing of a medication, vaccine or health recommendation. Clinical trials have a quirky history.

The first recorded instance of a clinical trial took place in 562 BC. King Nebuchadnezzar, who was not a scientist, wanted his people in top physical condition. He ordered them to consume only meat and wine, believing these to be the most nutritious foods.

Several vegetable lovers persuaded him to be allowed to eat legumes and water instead. After 10 days the legume and water group was clearly healthier and were allowed to continue their diet. Thus, the first public health recommendation was issued.

In 1747, what is considered to be the first legitimate clinical trial took place aboard a British Navy ship. Conducted by Dr. James Lind, a Scottish Physician, in an effort to cure scurvy. Over 2 million sailors died of this malady. Purple bruises were the first signs of the disease, and if left untreated it led to death after six weeks of suffering.

Dr. Lind divided 12 afflicted sailors into 6 pairs. The 6 remedies on trial were: cider, a solution of sulfuric acid and alcohol, sea water, a paste of garlic, mustard and horseradish, vinegar and the last 2 sailors received lemons and oranges.

These two sailors were well in less than a week. However, citrus was expensive and it took another 50 years before the Navy was able to provide lemon juice to their sailors and scurvy was eradicated from life at sea.

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Today’s research and clinical trials are very different. Most medicines require 10 years of precision research, with an average of 6-7 years of trials. On top of this time investment, it is not uncommon for medicines to cost around $2.6 billion to develop.

Biomedical research continues to make strides in the fields of aging, cancer, diabetes, genetics, immunology, neuroscience, and virology.

Despite the time and monetary costs, most will agree that the value of biomedical research is worthwhile each time a life is saved, suffering is diminished or a disease is prevented.

3D Molecular Models

Dive into chemistry with 3d molecular models! See how the basic building blocks of matter form to create everything in the known universe.

Need a refresher on chemistry?

An element is a single atom characterized by the number of protons in its nucleus. Atoms bind together to form molecules, which can either be a series of the same element or different elements, making it a compound.

A molecule can be a simple pairing of one element, such as the oxygen in the air (O2) or a complex chemical compound, such as ethanol (CH5OH) or baking soda (NaHCO3), containing many different elements.

Stock Image Gallery of Molecular Models and Video

3d illustrators represent molecules in a variety of ways. There’s the classic ball and stick model, ribbon models, and the intricate hydrophobicity surface model.

CPK coloring is the most common color system for models (white for hydrogen, black for carbon, red for oxygen, etc.), but artists use a variety of different color pallets to bring uniqueness to their work (so always check the description for details about each molecule.)

Need a specific model? Ask our professional staff and we’d be happy to help you with your next chemistry project!

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Acute Flaccid Myelitis, a Growing Concern for Parents

Flu season is here, but parents have a new condition to be worried about for their kids: Acute Flaccid Myelitis, or AFM. It has been making headlines as alarming numbers of children are being paralyzed in a pattern that resembles polio scares in the past.

AFM has been in existence for a long time, but the recent rise in cases is what’s signaling danger. Polio was eradicated in the United States in 1979, however, at this point in time, there is no such future hope for AFM.

This dreaded condition has several possible causes including viruses, environmental toxins, and genetic disorders. Symptoms often follow an infection and high fever. The suspected viruses that may cause AFM include poliovirus or non-polio enteroviruses, West Nile Virus and adenoviruses.

RF Images & RM Images of Acute Flaccid Myelitis

Although adults may contract this condition, most cases are in those under 18 years old. Symptoms parents should look out for include the sudden onset of drooping eyelids, difficulty moving the eyes, loss of reflexes or weakness in the limbs.

One of the more dangerous aspects of this condition is when the muscles of the lungs are affected, causing respiratory distress. Medical help should be sought immediately upon finding any of these or similar symptoms.

Scans, such as MRIs, of the spinal cord and brain will assist in the diagnosis of AFM. It is important to rule out other conditions such as Guillain-Barre that may have similar symptoms.

We currently do not have a specific treatment for AFM, but neurologists and physical therapists can sometimes recommend methods to help relieve symptoms.

The best prevention is common sense advice that would help to avoid any type of infection. Wash your hands frequently with soap and hot water to avoid germs from others, and wear insect repellent to avoid mosquito bites that may transmit the West Nile Virus.

They'll Hijack Your Body to Replicate Themselves

Zombies? Science Fiction? Fantasy? No, it’s the very real flu virus, cold virus, rabies, HIV, ebola or any other viruses.

Viruses are microscopic nonliving organisms that can only reproduce by hijacking the production mechanism inside a living host’s cells. The virus replicates itself until the cell bursts, spreading the virus further. This usually means death to each cell that becomes infected. If the host’s immune system cannot destroy the virus, ultimately it can mean a very bad outcome for the host as well.

They differ from bacteria in that bacteria are alive, reproduce through fission (splitting apart) and carry on metabolic functions such as digestion.

Stock Images of Bacteria and Viruses

Viruses cannot reproduce on their own. They need to attach themselves to a host’s cells and inject it with their DNA/RNA, taking over the cell’s “machinery” to manufacture and reproduce. This continues until the cell literally bursts. The new viruses go on the hunt for more cells to continue this cycle.

Viruses are 10 to 100 times smaller than bacteria. Common water filters can block bacteria, however viruses can pass through many common filters.

Many bacteria are beneficial and even necessary for human existence. Our digestive tracts are filled with good bacteria - Normal Flora - that help break down food and even produce vitamins, such as vitamin K, that are critical to our well-being.

We all know there are also harmful bacteria such as Streptococcus pyogenes that causes strep throat or E. coli that causes food poisoning.

But there are no beneficial viruses that we know of. In fact, a type of virus called a bacteriophage even infects and kills bacteria.

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Antibiotics are useless against viruses. Antibiotics only kill off bacteria, which is why doctors will only prescribe them once they are certain an illness is caused by a bacteria and not a virus.

Even though antiviral drugs do exist, they aren’t even able to kill viruses. They only limit a virus’s ability to develop further.

The best methods for keeping safe from these dangerous invaders in the first place is to practice basic hygiene and common sense. Washing your hands frequently, getting the flu shot, staying clear of wild animals that may carry rabies such as raccoons and avoiding contact with anyone already infected especially if they coughing or sneezing, are some of the leading precautions you can take.

• webmd.com
• wikipedia.com
• sciencedaily.com

Science in Motion – The History of Discovery in Video Montage

Have you ever wanted to step into an old etching and explore the laboratories of your favorite scientists and inventors? Short of magic, video montages provide the next best thing!

Peer into Herschel’s telescope as he gazes at the cosmos from his observatory or follow a beam of light as it refracts into a rainbow in Newton’s laboratory.

Video Montage Gallery

Beyond the fun, video montages have an educational value. By linking images together, montages provide historic continuity, allowing people to see the connections between scientific discoveries. An etching from Isaac Newton’s life may tell you something about his findings in optics, but a group of images reveals how they led to further insights into physics.

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Montages also bring clarity to scientific discoveries. By zeroing in on a lab experiment, montages highlight key components involved in the scientific process. Panning and scrolling help viewers understand the causes and effects involved in experiments, giving them a better understanding of how science works.

As classic images enter the digital sphere, video montages are providing a unique and fun visual aid for designers and educators alike. Take a closer look below!

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The Aliens are Here: Invasive Species

Diver With Lion Fish

Exotic beauty hides a deadly beast.  The lionfish is but one of over 4,000 invasive species found in the United States doing damage to wildlife, plants, our economy, and our health.

An invasive species, also called alien species, is a non-native plant or animal that may have no natural enemies and possibly possess other advantages that allow it to propagate to such a degree that it causes damage. 

This may include the killing of already endangered plants, habitat loss, damaging crops, clogging pipes in power plants or otherwise wreaking havoc.  Their success makes them impossible to eradicate and very difficult to control.

One example, the lionfish, is of great concern in the Southern United States, killing off 65% of the local fish population within two years. Some of these prey fish are critical for cleaning the coral, so the coral reefs are also dying off.

Stock Images of Invasive Animals & Plants

It's believed this invasion was caused by a few pet lionfish owners releasing them into the wild from their home aquariums.  

The lionfish has no natural predator in the United States. It is carnivorous and eats voraciously. A single female lionfish can lay over two million eggs a year. 

Lionfish are difficult to eradicate because they hang out on the sea floor, up to 1,000 ft down.  They cannot be caught by nets, nor by fishing hook and line. A diver needs to spear them one at a time. Their venomous sting is 50 times more painful than a wasp's and can take months to heal. Divers need to carry special hard-shelled containers for their catches to protect themselves from the lionfish barbs. 

This is one of approximately 4,300 invasive species currently causing loss of wildlife and income in the United States.

Fun Gifts of Scary Invasive Species

How do invasive species get here? People, and the goods we use, travel around the world very quickly and often carry uninvited species with them.

As people become more aware of invasive species and how to prevent them, the situation can improve.

In the case of the lionfish, people have discovered it is delicious to eat. High demand from restaurants is now putting a dent in the lionfish population. The lionfish will never be eradicated, but as long as we have hungry diners, there's a chance of getting them under control.

• bbc.com
• earthrangers.com
• washingtonpost.com
• wikipedia.com
• sailorsofthesea.org
• oceanservice.noaa.gov
• pbs.org
• nationalgeographic.com