20 stunning microscopic photos from the Nikon Small World 2020 competition

We’ve chosen our favourites from this year’s winners.

James Cutmore

Published: December 13, 2020 at 11:48 am

The Nikon Small World Photography Competition is an annual celebration of all things teeny-weeny tiny, and gets us science photography fans very excited. Open to entries from professionals and amateurs alike, the subject matter is diverse and always a visual treat.

This year's crop of winners from the competitionhave just been announced, and there are some truly stunning images from a wide-range of visual disciplines. Here are some of the images that stood out for us.

Take a look at some of our other picture stories:

1

See-through Zebrafish - Overall Winner

Dorsal view of bones and scales (blue) and lymphatic vessels (orange) in a juvenile zebrafish Confocal 4X (Objective Lens Magnification — Dorsal view of bones and scales (blue) and lymphatic vessels (orange) in a juvenile zebrafish - Daniel Castranova, Dr. Brant Weinstein & Bakary Samasa/Nikon Small World

See more amazing photography:

2

Send In The Clowns - Second Place Overall

Embryonic development of a clownfish (Amphiprion percula) on days 1, 3 (morning and evening), 5, and 9 Image Stacking 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) — Embryonic development of a clownfish (Amphiprion percula) on days 1 & 3 (morning and evening), 5 & 9 - Daniel Knop/Nikon Small World

3

Salty Snail Tongue - Third Place Overall

Tongue (radula) of a freshwater snail Confocal 40X (Objective Lens Magnification) — Tongue (radula) of a freshwater snail - Dr. Igor Siwanowicz/Nikon Small World

4

Chameleon Embryo - Top 20 Images

Chameleon embryo (autofluorescence) Fluorescence 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) — Chameleon embryo - Dr. Allan Carrillo-Baltodano & David Salamanca/Nikon Small World

5

Crystal Vision - Top 20 Images

Crystals formed after heating an ethanol and water solution containing L-glutamine and beta-alanine Polarized Light 4X (Objective Lens Magnification) — Crystals formed after heating an ethanol & water solution containing L-glutamine and beta-alanine - Justin Zoll/Nikon Small World

6

Human Hair - Top 20 Images

Human hair Image Stacking 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) — Human hair - Robert Vierthaler/Nikon Small World

7

Roller Weevil - Top 20 Images

Leaf roller weevil (Byctiscus betulae) lateral view. Reflected Light 3.7X (Objective Lens Magnification). — Leaf roller weevil (Byctiscus betulae) lateral view - Özgür Kerem Bulur/Nikon Small World

8

Tight tights - Top 20 Images

Nylon stockings Polarized Light 9X (Objective Lens Magnification) — Nylon stockings - Alexander Klepnev/Nikon Small World

9

Moth To A Microscope - Top 20 Images

Atlas moth wing Image Stacking 10x (Objective Lens Magnification) — Atlas moth wing - Chris Perani/Nikon Small World

10

Plain Batty - Top 20 Images

Skeleton preparation of a short-tailed fruit bat embryo (Carollia perspicillata) Brightfield 1X (Objective Lens Magnification) — Skeleton preparation of a short-tailed fruit bat embryo (Carollia perspicillata) - Dr. Dorit Hockman & Dr. Vanessa Chong-Morrison/Nikon Small World

11

Phantom of the Larva - Honourable Mention

Phantom midge larva Darkfield, Image Stacking, Polarized Light 4X (Objective Lens Magnification) — Phantom midge larva - Christopher Algar/Nikon Small World

12

LCD Phone Screen - Honourable Mention

Liquid crystals in a mobile LCD screen Brightfield 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) — Liquid crystals in a mobile LCD screen - Alexey Marchenko/Nikon Small World

13

Shiver Me Timber Beetle - Honourable Mention

Ship-timber beetle (Lymexylidae) Image Stacking. 5X (Objective Lens Magnification) — Ship-timber beetle (Lymexylidae) - Marco Retana/Nikon Small World

14

Vinyl countdown - Images of Distinction

Old vinyl record Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) — Old vinyl record - Alexander Klepnev/Nikon Small World

15

Horse Fly -Images of Distinction

Horse-fly (Tabanidae) Image Stacking, Reflected Light 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) — Horse-fly (Tabanidae) - Andrei Nica/Nikon Small World

16

Into the Sunset - Images of Distinction

Scales of a Madagascan sunset butterfly wing. Image Stacking 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) — Scales of a Madagascan sunset butterfly wing - Don Komarechka/Nikon Small World

17

A Budding Photographer-Images of Distinction

Interior of an unopened Camellia flower bud showing immature anther and filament. Reflected Light, Image Stacking 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) — Interior of an unopened Camellia flower bud showing immature anther and filament - Charles Krebs/Nikon Small World

18

Heads Up - Images of Distinction

Head of a tapeworm (Taenia pisiformis) Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) — Head of a tapeworm (Taenia pisiformis) - Dr. David Maitland/Nikon Small World

19

Moth to a Flame - Images of Distinction

Moth (Ctenucha brunnea) Image Stacking 5X (Objective Lens Magnification) — Moth (Ctenucha brunnea) - Dr. Andrew Posselt/Nikon Small World

Picture Editor, BBC Science Focus

James Cutmore is the picture editor of BBC Science Focus Magazine. He has worked on the magazine and website for over a decade, telling compelling science stories through the use of striking imagery. He holds a degree in Fine Art, and has been nominated for the British Society of Magazine Editors Talent Awards, being highly commended in 2020. His main areas of interest include photography that highlights positive technology and the natural world. For many years he was a judge for the Wellcome Trust's image competition, as well as judging for the Royal Photographic Society.