amazing science images you must see

An exposed wall of ice rich permafrost dwarfs a researcher along the coast of Herschel Island in the Yukon Territory of Canada. Permafrost is soil, oftenwater rich, that is below freezing. The sea rapidly erodes this permafrost in coastal zones, a geological process that could have major implications for humans living in such chilly coastal areas. Currently, Arctic coastlines are eroding by about 3 to 6 feet (1 to 2 meters) each year, according to the Alfred Wegener Institute. The Institute is now funding study of this erosion to understand how it happens and what triggers the coastline loss.

Boo! Do you believe in spooks? This 1920s era couple seem downright relaxed for two people being haunted by an ominous specter, but then, the ghost only revealed herself on film

Where in the world is all the water vapor? It may be hard to tell at first glance, but this wall of globes represents a simulation of monthly averageddistribution of total column water vapor on the planet. Such simulations are important, because understanding the distribution of water vapor on Earth is critical for understanding our planets climate.

Go ahead, wish upon a shooting star you have plenty to choose from. This is a composite image of meteors from 2009 to 2011, including the Orionid,Perseid and Geminid showers. This past weekend (Oct 21 and 22) the2012 Orionidswowed stargazers.

See that teeny tiny white dot up in the left hand corner of this image? Insignificant space dust, right? Not quite. That little speck is Tethys, one of Saturns moons. The moon is 660 miles across (1,602 km), but with Saturn in the foreground, it doesnt show its size. The Cassini spacecraft took this image in August 2012 from about 18 degrees below the plane of Saturns rings.

Colorful bacterial mats create the rainbow rings that circle Grand Prismatic Spring, a Yellowstone National Park landmark and the largest hot spring inthe United States. This aerial view shows the full extent of the spring, which is about 300 feet (90 meters) wide at its widest point. The water gets about 160 feet (50 m) deep, but you dont want to take a dip, regardless at its center, the pool reaches temperatures of 160 degrees Fahrenheit (70 degrees Celsius).

Headlights spotlight a new arrival from orbit far out in rural Kazakhstan. No, this isnt a government UFO cover up; its the return of Expedition 33 from the International Space Station. Carrying Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoside, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and American astronaut Sunita Williams, the Soyuz TMA 05M spacecraft landed in remote Kazakhstan on Nov. 19.

Talk about a sea monster. This 1889 illustration of a vampire squid paints these mysterious creatures in a creepy light fitting, given that the scientific name for vampire squid, Vampyrotheuthis infernalis translates roughly to vampire squid from hell. In fact, vampire squid are the only known cephalopods that dont hunt for their prey (so much for their namesake). Instead, theyre the seas garbage disposals, eating marine detritus that floats down to the depths like snow.

Its getting breezy on the East Coast as Hurricane Sandy approaches the mid Atlantic states. The ghostly lines on this map represent wind speeds, withwhiter, thicker lines representing faster winds. As of about 11 a.m. EDT on Oct. 29, 2012, winds were blowing at speeds between 15 and 30 miles per hour (24 and 48 kilometers per hour). Forecasts call for Sandy to blow in to New York City with winds ranging from 40 to 55 mph (64 to 80 kph) with gusts up to 70 or 80 mph (112 to 129 kph).

NASAs Chandra X Ray Observatory captures the stunning Cats Eye Nebula in vivid pink. The nebula, also known as NGC 6543, is in the constellation Draco and was first discovered in 1786. This image is part of a recent study published August 2012 in The Astronomical Journal examining 21 planetary nebulas within 5000 light years of our own planet. Despite their name, planetary nebulas are not planets, but dying stars that have used up their hydrogen cores and expanded. Our own sun will become a planetary nebula in several billion years.