Communication power in science has transferred from paper abstracts/research to scientific imagery displaying relevant data. These images of science are used to teach, to inform, and to garner issue visibility. With globalization, face-to-face communication is not as readily available as earlier times. With the advent of technology for communication, imagery transfer becomes as valuable as digital/video streaming, emailed data, and phone. Perhaps more so, as imagery is permanent communication which can be referred to long-term. More value later in the article. Science image format ranges from:
- Figures
- Tables
- Graphs
- Charts
- Photography
Image repositories have trended in recent years, available through the digital marketplace. Now, users by scientific category can access and use database images to further their relevant communication. Instead of drafting a figure or chart from scratch, for example, users may select completed science images: saving labor, saving time, accelerating work deadlines, and putting that final polish on technical work.
Who Benefits from Scientific Imagery?
- Students
- Educators
- Authors
- Scientists
- Scientific Community
- Researchers (personal/business)
Students and educators must communicate through scientific imagery during standard research and coursework activity. Students develop their communication skills with images for science. In fact, 73% of college students in a recent (anonymous) course evaluation listed “imagery skills” as the most important learned course component. Authors for scientific journals, lab research, scientific abstracts, and blogs, utilize imagery. And, scientists and the scientific community utilize images in daily work activity. Images include astronomical, naturalistic and microscopy content delivered with a click. The scientific community is well aware of the importance of raising awareness (witness climate change issues), and that web users require fast informational transfer. Imagery fits the bill.
The European Space Agency (ESA) used satellite imagery to boost their Rosetta Mission communication campaign. ESA linked visuals to social media platforms to relay their scientific expedition globally. Too, photos submitted with scientific journal articles have rewarded scientists with cover photos in Science, Nature, and National Academy of Sciences publications.
Scientists are also aware that sometime words are not enough – that there is a science to scientific images. Is a picture worth a 1000 words? Well, humans have a limited memory so an image stay embedded in memory longer. A scientific image relays all data relationships at once for understanding. Multiple concepts are transmitted simultaneously, which negates the need for a human working memory to remember the first concept, the second concept, and so on. As also mentioned, the time retention value is there.
Explore the RightsPlatform growing library of 2 million relevant scientific and non-scientific images, figures, tables, charts and graphs. Find the perfect science images for your project or publication. We created our platform to aid publishers with visual asset management: storage, search, review, buy/sell functionality. Users find their visual needs either from a specific publication or via subject-specific keywords.
Anthropology, Natural Sciences, Medical, and Science Images and Assets 