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Bomb explosion. Full-scale Schlieren photograph of a bomb exploding beneath the passenger seat of an aircraft. The blast sends circular shockwaves, heat and light energy that radiate vertically within the aircraft cabin. This is a simulation of the bomb that exploded on Philippine Airlines flight 434 in 1994 where one person died. The shockwaves did not damage the fuselage and the aircraft was able to land safely. Schlieren photographs are used to visualise heat and airflow around objects. Changes in the density of air cause light to refract (bend), and show up in the image as differences in colour and brightness. (KEYSTONE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/DR GARY SETTLES)