Every year we are amazed by the Nikon Small World winners, and this year is no different.Grigorii Timin has taken top prize in 2022 for his image of an embryonic gecko's hand, painstakingly merging hundreds of images together to form one striking photograph.
Second place was awarded toDr Caleb Dawson for his image of breast tissue showing contractile myoepithelial cells wrapped around milk-producing alveoli. Third place went toSatu Paavonsalo and Dr Sinem Karaman for their intricate image of blood vessel networks in the intestine of an adult mouse.
Other highlights in this year's batch include a burning candle close-up, mouse blood vessels and a fly being savagely crushed by a tiger beetle.
The Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition is open to anyone with an interest in photography or video. The awards have been championing the best microscopic imagery for nearly 50 years.
Overall winner
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2022/10/Gecko-embryonic-hand-a194819.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
Second place
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2022/10/Breast-alveoli-in-lactation-2c56a0e.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
Third place
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2022/10/Blood-vessel-network-4037f59.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
Fourth place
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2022/10/daddy-long-legs-spider-73fce7b.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
Fifth place
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2022/10/Lamproderma-ad1610a.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
Sixth place
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2022/10/Candle-04c3448.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
Seventh place
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2022/10/Neuronal-Cells-120ebcd.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
Eighth place
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2022/10/red-algae-9c11a3c.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
Ninth place
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2022/10/LCD-man-in-uniform-d28f6e2.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
Tenth place
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2022/10/Tiger-beetle-88c046b.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
Eleventh place
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2022/10/Moth-eggs-978c75c.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
Twelfth place
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2022/10/Coral-Polyp-beb3e43.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
Thirteenth place
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2022/10/Dinosaur-bone-c625050.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
Sixteenth place
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2022/10/asparagus-tips-7fb4885.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
Honourable mention
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2022/10/butterfly-egg-f9f283f.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
Honourable mention
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2022/10/marine-snail-tongue-6a08c21.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
Honourable mention
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2022/10/Juvenile-sea-star-e7e8f1a.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
Honourable mention
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2022/10/slime-mould-Didymium-clavus-42a6d0f.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
Honourable mention
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2022/10/Bamboo-Section-580bc47.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
More images from Science Focus:
- All the winners from this year's Weather Photographer of the Year
- Underwater caves and rivers of fire scoop panoramic prizes
- The dramatic and beautiful Harvest Moon in pictures
- Could farming without soil help solve our food crisis?
- The lure of the ocean world featured in stunning new book
Images of Distinction
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2022/10/mouse-retina-a4b1a0b.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
Images of Distinction
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2022/10/jewel-beetle-3f44cbd.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
Images of Distinction
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2022/10/lung-cell-corona-13d0ca9.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
Images of Distinction
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2022/10/winged-ant-2134f91.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
Images of Distinction
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2022/10/Dental-Drill-183b8ec.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
Take a look at previous Nikon Small World Competition winners: