Our mini science and technology photo library

Last updated: December 10, 2009.

You are most welcome to use any photos or artworks that we have created (generally they are marked "www.explainthatstuff.com"), for noncommercial purposes only, under a Creative Commons License. Read more about using material from this website.

Some of our photos are also available in high-resolution form for commercial use. The photos were taken with a 7-megapixel Canon Digital IXUS camera, with a macro lens, and are available as JPG files at a resolution of 3072 x 2304 pixels. You can find low-res (480 x 360 pixel) versions of most of these photos on our Flickr page for comp layout purposes.

We can also take other, custom photos of some of these objects to your exact requirements.

If you'd like to use a photo, please contact us with details of what you'd like to do to and we'll give you a quotation.

Thumbnail	Description	Article
	Capacitor (external) An electrolytic capacitor with a pencil shown for scale.	Capacitors
	Capacitor (internal) Inside a capacitor. An electrolytic capacitor with the outer case removed, showing the metal "plates" and electrolyte insulation curved around in concentric layers.	Capacitors
	Car engine The V12 internal combustion engine in a Jaguar XJS sports car.	Car engines
	Car engine The V12 internal combustion engine in a Jaguar XJS sports car.	Car engines
	Charge-coupled device (CCD) Close-up of the CCD light-detector from a digital camera or webcam.	CCDs
	Digital camera The various parts inside a simple digital camera.	What's inside a digital camera?
	Electric motor (brushless) The outer case of a brushless direct current (BLDC) electric motor from a floppy disk drive.	Hub motors
	Electric motor (brushless) The internals of a brushless direct current (BLDC) electric motor from a floppy disk drive.	Hub motors
	Circuit A basic electronic circuit containing a microchip (components are fully visible on the hi-res).	Electronics
	Energy-saving lamp electronics The electronic capacitor and transformer circuit from inside a low-energy, compact fluorescent lamp (CFL).	CCDs
	Earbud headphone#1 A broken Philips earbud headphone shown next to a pencil for scale.	Headphones
	Earbud headphone#2 A broken Philips earbud headphone opened up to show the stereo wires and the back of the loudspeaker magnet.	Headphones
	Earbud headphone#3 A broken Philips earbud headphone with the front cover removed to show the cone (diaphragm) and coil, shown next to a pencil for scale.	Headphones
	Earbud headphone#4 A broken Philips earbud headphone with all the components shown side by side.	Headphones
	Ethernet cable An Ethernet computer networking cable.	Computer networks
	Fresnel lens A lighthouse Fresnel lens. Various other shots available.	Fresnel lenses
	Geoengineering This is a derivative work based on a NASA photo (Full Earth) taken in 1972 during the Apollo 17 mission. We have alternative versions with and without the spanner wording.	Geoengineering
	Hard drive#1 A 30GB hard drive shown with the top cover removed and the read/write head moved out across the disc. We can take alternative shots of this drive for you.	Hard drive
	Hard drive#2 A 30GB hard drive shown with the top cover removed and the read/write head moved out across the disc. We can take alternative shots of this drive for you.	Hard drive
	Hard drive#3 A 30GB hard drive shown with the read-write head in closeup.	Hard drive
	Hard drive#4 A 30GB hard drive shown with the read-write head in extreme closeup.	Hard drive
	Headphones#1 The inside of a pair of open-backed Sennheiser headphones.	Headphones
	Headphones#2 The inside of a pair of open-backed Sennheiser headphones.	Headphones
	Headphones#3 The inside of a pair of open-backed Sennheiser headphones.	Headphones
	Headphones#4 The inside of a pair of open-backed Sennheiser headphones.	Headphones
	Headphones#5 The inside of a pair of open-backed Sennheiser headphones.	Headphones
	Hologram Close-up of the hologram on a banknote.	Holograms
	Inside a CD player An audio CD player with the lid lifted, showing the semiconductor laser and photodiode.	CDs and DVDs
	Laser eye surgery An eye with a simulated laser flare. Please note that this is a photographic simulation of laser eye surgery and not a real photo of the actual process.	Laser eye surgery
	LED#1 A close-up of an LED from an optical mouse.	Diodes
	LED#2 A close-up of an LED from an optical mouse with the circuit board in the background. The inner terminals of the LED are clearly visible on the hi-res.	Diodes
	LED#3 A close-up of an LED from an optical mouse. The inner terminals of the LED are clearly visible on the hi-res.	Diodes
	Optical mouse A close-up of the inside of an optical mouse showing the LEDs, plastic prism, photodiode chip, scroll wheel, and other electronic components.	Computer mouse
	Ball and wheel mouse A close-up of the inside of an old-style mouse showing the ball and wheel and other electronic components.	Computer mouse
	Quartz watch#1 A close-up of the inside of a quartz watch, showing the oscillator, solenoid, gears, battery, etc.	Quartz clocks and watches
	Quartz watch#2 A close-up of the inside of a quartz watch, showing the oscillator, solenoid, gears, battery, hands, case, crown, etc. all laid out side by side.	Quartz clocks and watches
	Radio#1 The electronic circuit inside an old-style (analog) radio. Taken from directly above.	Radio
	Radio#2 The electronic circuit inside an old-style (analog) radio (slanted perspective).	Radio
	Reed switch A magnetic reed switch seen side on. The metal reeds (overlapping contacts) are clearly visible on the hi-res.	Reed switches
	Resistor (external) A resistor shown in close-up on a circuit board.	Resistors
	Resistor (inside) The inside of a wire-wound resistor showing the ceramic core and copper coils wrapped round it.	Resistors
	Secure digital (SD) flash memory card#1 A 32MB secure digital memory card from a digital camera.	Flash memory
	Secure digital (SD) flash memory card#2 A 32MB secure digital memory card from a digital camera (reverse side, showing connections).	Flash memory
	Secure digital (SD) flash memory card#2 A 32MB secure digital memory card from a digital camera (reverse side, showing connections).	Flash memory
	Water lens A "water lens" made by dropping water onto a piece of plastic.	Lenses
	Webcam The inside of a webcam, showing the miniature lens mounted above the CCD and the small circuit board behind it.	Webcams