Have you ever wondered what goes on on the inside of a black hole? Wonder no more, as researchers at the National Science Foundation have an idea of the kind of action that takes place within this cosmic phenomenon. It can probably be summed up in one word: corkscrew. More cosmic fury escalates in the full article after the jump.

Check out the image on the right. Is it a weird uber reclusive sea creature? Or something under a microscope? Actually, we all have what's shown in the image - it's a bottom-up image of a nose.

This image won first place at the 2007 Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge, an annual contest held by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the journal Science. The challenge asks illustrators, photographers, graphics specialists, and others to create images that would "intrigue, explain and educate". The said contest also spans different categories: Informational Graphics, Interactive Media, Photography, and Non-Interactive Media.

The image to the right is entitled "What Lies Behind our Nose" and was tied in first place with "Irish Moss, Chondrus crispus" in the Photography category.

NSF's Jeff Nesbit, director of Office of Legislative and Public Affairs had this to say about the challenge:

Breakthroughs in science and engineering are often portrayed in movies and literature as 'ah-ha!' moments. What these artists and communicators have given us are similar experiences, showing us how bats fly or how nicotine becomes physically addictive. We look at their visualizations, and we understand.

Check out the other winners by clicking the Read link below. Enjoy!