Best Earth Images of the Week - Jan. 13, 2012

New Species, Streets in the Sky and Record Snows

Miniature frog is the worlds smallest vertebrate, or animal with a backbone. — The worlds smallest vertebrate is a recently discovered frog measuring 0.3 inches long (7.7 millimeters). (Image credit: Christopher Austin, LSU)

Where the Streets have No Name

This unique sight depends on blankets of ice and snow on the shores below. (Image credit: NASA.)

We prefer no ice on our roads, but these depend on it. These cloud streets formed over the Bering Sea early in 2012.

The unique formation is a combination of wind, frigid ice and warmer ocean waters.

[Full Story: 'Cloud Streets' Over Bering Sea]

A New, Colorful Critter

Atheris matildae Tanzania — Matilda's Horned Viper, named after the daughter of one of the researchers, is a new species of bush viper. (Image credit: WCS.)

Matilda's Horned Viper, a newfound species of bush viper, was discovered in southern Tanzania.

The brightly colored snake's location is being withheld to protect the species from poachers.

[Full Story: Colorful New Snake Species Discovered]

A New View

kilauea nasa radar image — Color-enhanced UAVSAR interferogram images of Hawaii's Kilauea volcano, taken between January 2010 and May 2011. The images show the east rift zone of Kilauea, about 6 miles (9.7 kilometers) from the summit caldera. Lava has been flowing from the east rift zone, the most active part of Kilauea, since 1983. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

An airborne radar developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is helping measure magma inside Hawaii's Mount Kilauea, which has been erupting continuously for nearly 30 years.

Researchers hope this technology will aide in the prevention of hazards to local populations by natural disasters.

[Full Story: NASA Airborne Radar 'Sees' Inside Hawaii Volcano]

Record Smashing Weather

Alaska National Guardsmen clear a building roof in Cordova, near Anchorage, on Jan. 9. (Image credit: Spc. Balinda O'Neal, Alaska National Guard Public Affairs.)

Anchorage, Alaska has received nearly double the normal amount of snow for this time of year. After a blizzard on Monday, the measure currently stands at 7 feet.

At this point, another 9 to 18 inches is expected.

[Full Story: Anchorage Smashes Snow Record]

A New, Tiny Critter

A miniature frog, Paedophryne amanuensis, was identified recently in Papua New Guinea.

Researchers discovered the creature in 2009, but only recently captured and described the animal in a scientific journal. Little is known about the frog at this time.

[Full Story: Teensy Newfound Frog is Smallest Known Vertebrate]

rimicaris hybisae, new shrimp species, hydrothermal vent species, von damm vent species, von damm vent animals — The newfound shrimp swarm a vent at the Von Damm vent site, alongside a pale, snake-like fish. The team also found a new species of snail and a new species of amphipod, a tiny crustacean, at this site. (Image credit: University of Southampton / NOC.)

The first expedition to the sunless, scalding-hot world at the deepest volcanic sea vents has unveiled some remarkable species.

Eyeless shrimp, Rimicaris hybisae, swarm around the Von Damm vent. This and other species including crustacean and fish seem to thrive in this dark, undersea world.

[Full Story: Eyeless Shrimp Discovered at Deepest Volcanic Vents]

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