The annual Nikon Small World Competition – now in its 43rd year – combines art and science as it recognises the best photos taken under a microscope. The top 20 images were revealed earlier this week, and included a ghoulish tapeworm, a bejewelled bee, Pac-Man algae and weevil porn.
IBTimes UK now reveals some of the other amazing images recognised by the judges out of more than 2,000 entries from 88 countries around the world. They include hugely magnified spiders' eyes and ants' legs, as well as the surprisingly beautiful crystalline structure of common minerals and pharmaceuticals.
Emre Can Alagöz, Marmara University, Department of Photography, Istanbul, Turkey. Jumping Spider, Reflected Light, 6xEmre Can AlagözEmilio Carabajal Márquez, Madrid, Spain: Pyromorphite (mineral), Image Stacking, 2.5x (objective lens magnification)Emilio Carabajal MárquezDr. Nathan Myhrvold, Modernist Cuisine, Bellevue, Washington, USA: Broccoli, Image Stacking, 4.9xDr. Nathan MyhrvoldHenri Koskinen, Helsinki, Finland: Paracetamol (common painkiller) crystals, Polarized Light, 20x (objective lens magnification)Henri KoskinenCan Tunçer, Affiliation, Izmir, Turkey: Natural bridge (Petiole nodes) connecting the abdomen and thorax of an ant, Focus Stacking, 5x (objective lens magnification)Can TunçerYousef Al Habshi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Asilidae (rubber fly) eye section, Reflected Light, 20x (objective lens magnification)Yousef Al HabshiEmilio Carabajal Márquez, Madrid, Spain: Nsutite and Cacoxenite (minerals), Image Stacking, 5x (objective lens magnification)Emilio Carabajal MárquezWalter Piorkowski, South Beloit, Illinois, USA: Moth eggs in spider silk, Reflected Light, Image Stacking, 16xWalter PiorkowskiDr. Kif Liakath-Ali, King's College London, Centre for Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine, London, United Kingdom: Nerves (in green) under the skin of a mouse (hair follicles are shown in red and blue), Confocal, 40xDr. Kif Liakath-AliJan Rosenboom, Universität Rostock, Rostock, Germany: Small moth, Image Stacking, 5x (objective lens magnification)Jan RosenboomRogelio Moreno, Panama, Panama: Cladocera (water flea), Brightfield, Image Stacking, 10x (objective lens magnification)Rogelio MorenoDean Lerman, Netanya, Israel: Abdominal proleg of Lasiocampa (a caterpillar), Reflected Light, Focus Stacking, 3.7x (objective lens magnification)Dean LermanDr. Jan Michels, Institute of Zoology, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Kiel, Germany: Circocerus (beetle) head, Confocal, 10x (objective lens magnification)Dr. Jan MichelsOuti Paloheimo, University of Tampere, Tampere Imaging Facility, Tampere, Finland: Underside of a pseudoscorpion (arachnid), Confocal, 200xOuti PaloheimoRogelio Moreno, Panama, Panama: Pleurotaenium ovatum (microalgae), Fluorescence, 20x (objective lens magnification)Rogelio MorenoOliver Collar, Fitwick, United Kingdom: Hebomoia glaucippe (great orange butterfly), front view, Image Stacking, 5x (objective lens magnification)Oliver CollarDr. Nuria Andrés-Colás, Ghent University, Laboratory of Functional Plant Biology, Department of Biology, Ghent, Belgium: Male and female reproductive organs of Arabidopsis thaliana (flowering plant), Differential Interference Contrast, 10x (objective lens magnification)Dr. Nuria Andrés-ColásFrank Fox, Konz, Germany: Rotifers, Darkfield, Transmitted Light, 20x (objective lens magnification)Frank FoxCharles Krebs, Charles Krebs Photography, Issaquah, Washington, USA: Mosquito larva, early development, Darkfield, 10x (objective lens magnification)Charles KrebsKarl Gaff, Dublin Institute of Technology, School of Physics and Clinical & Optometric Sciences, Dublin, Ireland: Central region of a Geranium robertianum (Herb Robert) flower showing a folded up stigma encircled by pollen covered anthers, Reflected Light, 4x (objective lens magnification)Karl GaffLaurie Knight, Tonbridge, United Kingdom: Simple Eyes of Ectemnius (digger wasp) with condensation, Reflected Light, 20x (objective lens magnification)Laurie KnightSaulius Gugis, Naperville, Illinois, USA: Plant tendril, Focus Stacking, 3.7x (objective lens magnification)Saulius Gugis
Nikon Small World was founded in 1974 to recognise excellence in photography through the microscope. 2017 marks the 43rd year of the Nikon Small World Competition. This year is also the 100th anniversary of Nikon Instruments. Top images from the 2017 Nikon Small World Competition will be exhibited in a full-colour calendar and through a museum tour of the US and Canada. For additional information, visit www.nikonsmallworld.com.
