Image of IC 2944 nebula, also known as the Running Chicken Nebula or the Lambda Cen Nebula taken by the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope. (ESO)

The IC 2944 nebula, also known as the Running Chicken Nebula or the Lambda Cen Nebula, taken by the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope. (ESO)

During spring and fall, mass occurrences of the Asian lady beetle can often be observed. (Andreas Vilcinskas, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany)

The Asian lady beetle, or Harmonia axyridis, is native to eastern Asia and was introduced in North America and Europe as a way to control pests such as aphids and scale insects. The insects have also made homes in South Africa and widely across South America. (Andreas Vilcinskas, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany)

A Soyuz TMA-09M spacecraft is rolled out by train on Sunday, May 26, 2013 to the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch pad in Kazakhstan. (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

A Soyuz TMA-09M spacecraft is rolled out by train on Sunday, May 26, 2013, to the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch pad in Kazakhstan in preparation for today’s scheduled launch that will take three new crew members to the International Space Station. (NASA)

A up-close view of the 'Lung-on-a-Chip', a three-dimensional model of a living, breathing human lung on a microchip lined with human lung and blood vessel cells. This device can mimic complex functions of the living lung. (Wyss Institute)

A up-close view of the Lung-on-a-Chip, a three-dimensional model of a living, breathing human lung on a microchip lined with human lung and blood vessel cells. By mimicking the complex functions of the living lung, scientists may be able to some day replace animals in testing drugs and toxins. (Wyss Institute)

Engineer uses a focused-ion beam instrument to prepare samples of organic solar cell material for imaging under an electron microscope. (Brookhaven National Laboratory)

Engineer uses a focused-ion beam instrument to prepare samples of organic solar cell material for imaging under an electron microscope. (Brookhaven National Laboratory)

Abundant corals are shown in a shallow Hawaiian lagoon. (Keoki Stender)

Abundant corals in a shallow Hawaiian lagoon. (Keoki Stender)

A supermassive black hole at the center of this galaxy 850 million light years from Earth generates two powerful jets of particles that are speeding out at millions of kilometers per hour (NASA\NSF\NRAO\VLA)

A super-massive black hole at the center of this galaxy 850 million light years from Earth generates two powerful jets of particles that are speeding out at millions of kilometers per hour. (NASA)

Close up of a 'tawny crazy ant' or 'raspberry crazy ant' an invasive species that has become so “ecologically dominant” that its even driving vicious fire ants from their homes. (Joe MacGown, Mississippi Entomological Museum)

Close up of a ‘tawny crazy ant’ or ‘raspberry crazy ant’ an invasive species that has become so ecologically dominant that scientists have observed them driving vicious fire ants from their homes in Texas and the Southeast US. (Joe MacGown, Mississippi Entomological Museum)

Technicians inspect primary mirror segments that will be used on the James Webb Space Telescope scheduled for launch in 2018. (NASA/Chris Gunn)

Technicians inspect primary mirror segments that will be used on the James Webb Space Telescope scheduled for launch in 2018. (NASA)

An Old German owl breed of domestic pigeon. Researchers at the University of Utah have identified a gene that is responsible for the fancy head crests of rock pigeons.(Sydney Stringham)

An Old German Owl breed of domestic pigeon. Researchers at the University of Utah have identified a gene that is responsible for the fancy head crests of rock pigeons. (Sydney Stringham)