Images Dated 30th June 2005

HMS Illustrious on Exercise Neptune Warrior

Having spent two years embarking periodically in HMS Invincible as the High-Readiness Aircraft Carrier, 801 NAS had just returned from 6 weeks training with HMS Illustrious, in order to assist in her preparations for the role. Embarking for the second and third phases of her Operational Sea Training (OST) package, together with 849 Squadron A Flight Sea King Mk 7s and a Sea King Mk 6 of 771 Squadron, 801's Sea Harrier FA2s tailored their flying to provide progressive training for all of HMS Illustrious newly formed crew.
After two weeks of combined Fixed and Rotary Wing flying operations, HMS Illustrious next embarked the RAF Harrier GR7's of 1(F) Squadron, who soon adjusted to the unique demands of operating from an Aircraft Carrier at sea. It was at this point, after three intensive weeks that HMS Illustrious and her Tailored Air Group (TAG) were assessed to be fit to continue into Phase 3 of OST, where a highflying rate would be integrated into a tactical scenario.
Following a brief port visit to Newcastle, in order to refresh all embarked personnel and conduct essential maintenance, HMS Illustrious sailed with her full complement of TAG for Exercise Neptune Warrior. This Exercise had an extremely large number of multinational participants, ranging from HMAS Anzac (an Australian Frigate), to a Dutch Submarine, and was conducted in the challenging waters of the North-West Scottish coast. Neptune Warrior pitted two large Naval Task Groups against each other in a complex Political scenario, and enabled the TAG to operate in a Maritime Strike role, focussing on the GR7s Strike capability

© Crown Copyright

Peripatus

Peripatus, or velvet worm (Oroperipatus sp.) on a leaf. This animal has been described as the missing link between the annelids (includes worms and leeches) and the arthropods (includes insects and crustaceans). It shares characteristics with both, but is in fact a member of neither. It lives only in humid, dimly lit places such as under rocks and logs in rainforests. It is primarily nocturnal, and feels its way around using the antennae on its head. It is a voracious predator of insects and other invertebrates, which it catches by covering with a sticky immobilising fluid, ejected from its antennae. Photographed in the Amazon rainforest, Ecuador

© DR MORLEY READ/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Cats whisker, SEM

Cat's whisker. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a cat's whisker, or vibrissa. Whiskers are the thickened hairs that grow out of a cat's face. Like all hair they are made up of dead cells containing the protein keratin. However, unlike other hairs, their follicle is surrounded by a capsule of blood, called a blood sinus, which is itself surrounded by nerves. When a whisker is moved, some of the blood in the sinus is displaced. This greatly amplifies the message sent to the nerves and allows even small changes in air pressure to be detected. This sensitivity allows a cat to detect the movement of prey in the dark. Magnification: x95 when printed at 10 centimetres wide

© STEVE GSCHMEISSNER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY