Explainers & Infographics
Explainers
![Blue blobs are illuminated under a microscope on a black background. Small yellow, fluorescent dots are scattered throughout the blue blobs.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/microscopic-telomeres.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
Plant Telomeres
![](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/sodium-chloride-crystals-9510583796-e8de0230fc-o-johnson-flickr.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
Why NASA Studies Crystals
![](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/picture1-1.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
How (and why) do NASA researchers simulate microgravity on Earth?
![A photo of astronaut Christina Kock wearing glasses onboard the International Space Station as she works on hardware for the Cold Atom Lab.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/fifth-state-of-matter.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
The Fifth State of Matter
![At the center of this image is a scientist wearing a white clean suit and mask, as well as gloves and goggles. There is a small hole and sterile tools in front of the scientist, who kneels in the soil of the Atacama desert. A desert landscape similar to that of Mars surrounds the scientist, with a vast stretch of dry, rocky soil leading up to shadowed mountains. Above the mountains and set amid a blue sky, the Sun peeks out at the top right of the image, causing a lens flare that stretches across the image.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/space-biology-astrobiology.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
Space Biology and Astrobiology: What’s the difference?
![The Earth is centered against a starry universe. Several rainbow-colored bands surround the Earth in oblong and spherical shapes.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Van_Allen_Belts1-jpg.webp?w=4096&format=png)
What are the Van Allen Belts and why do they matter?
![Three women and one man are huddled around a box. They are wearing masks and gloves and are removing a medium-sized rectangular box from a cerulean blue canvas bag.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fungi-experiment-jpg.webp?w=4096&format=png)
Why is NASA studying fungi?
![An overhead view of one large rectangular box sectioned with 32 smaller squared boxes of leafy green plants. Each lush plant has 8-12 oblong leaves.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/van-allen-belts-plant-seeds-jpg.webp?w=4096&format=png)