Design
Nikon's microscopic photo contest will blow your mind
Nikon's Small World has hosted its 2020 photomicrography competition, and the results are eye-popping.
The Nikon Small World Competition has been running since 1975. The competition celebrates photographs taken through the light microscope.
On October 13, Nikon announced the winners of the 46th competition – and the results are nothing short of stunning.
This was the winner, the head of a fish with a fluorescently-tagged skeleton. It's comprised of 350 images, and it formed part of research that revealed zebrafish also have lymphatic vessels. Previously only thought to be found in mammals, their discovery could help with research into human brain diseases like Alzheimer's.
Some of the photographers produced fantastic patterns, like Michael Gibson's leaf of bindweed that won an image of distinction award.
Others lead to some dazzling colors, like Marcel Clemens' wing case of the anthaxia candens beetle.
It's not the only competition operating on the small scale. Kym Cox won the 2020 British Photography Awards in the Macro category with this image of a flowing soap film.
Galice Hoarau won Close Up Photographer of the Year this year with this eel larva.
With events like these and more, the small scale is having a big impact.