1. An electronic interface for a scientific database query system permitting retrieval from an electronic scientific database of scientific documents having text and associated figures as stored in the electronic scientific database, the figures described at least in part by text, the electronic interface comprising: an electronic computer executing a stored program to: (a) receive from the electronic scientific database at least one document selected from the electronic scientific database based on a text query from a human operator; and (b) review the text of the document and the associated figures to provide a ranking of the figures independent from an ordering of the figures in the document and according to an automated determination of an importance of the figure with respect to a subject matter of the document, wherein the ranking is derived from the text of the document.