20 Winning Shots From Nikon’s Small World Competition 2023

Nikon's Small World Competition has once again unveiled the hidden wonders of our world through the lens of a microscope. In 2023, this prestigious competition continued its tradition of celebrating the artistry and scientific significance of microscopy. The winning shots from this year's competition are a testament to the incredible beauty and complexity that lies beneath the surface. From vibrant biological specimens to captivating chemical structures, these images showcase the diverse and mesmerizing world of microphotography. More info: Website

#1 Hassanain Qambari, 1st place

Image source: Nikon's Small World “Rodent optic nerve head showing astrocytes, contractile proteins and retinal vasculature”

#2 Ole Bielfeldt, 2nd place

Image source: Nikon's Small World “Match igniting on the friction surface of the box”

#3 Malgorzata Lisowska, 3rd place

Image source: Nikon's Small World “Breast cancer cells”

#4 John-Oliver Dum, 4th place

Image source: Nikon's Small World “Poisonous fangs of a small tarantula”

#5 Dr. David Maitland, 5th place

Image source: Nikon's Small World “Auto-fluorescent defensive hairs covering the surface of Eleagnus angustifolia leaves exposed to UV rays”

#6 Timothy Boomer, 6th place

Image source: Nikon's Small World “Slime mold showing hair fibers through its translucent peridium”

#7 Dr. Grigorii Timin, 7th place

Image source: Nikon's Small World “Mouse embryo”

#8 Stefan Eberhard, 8th place

Image source: Nikon's Small World “Caffeine crystals”

#9 Vaibhav Deshmukh, 9th place

Image source: Nikon's Small World “ Cytoskeleton of a dividing myoblast; tubulin, F-actin and nucleus “

#10 Melinda Beccari, 10th place

Image source: Nikon's Small World “Motor neurons cultured in a microfluidic device for separation of cell bodies and axons”

#11 Dr. Diego García, 11th place

Image source: Nikon's Small World “Crystallized sugar syrup”

#12 Sherif Abdallah Ahmed, 12th place

Image source: Nikon's Small World “Cuckoo wasp standing on a flower”

#13 Satu Pavonalo, 13th place

Image source: Nikon's Small World “Blood and lymphatic vascular systems in the ear skin of an adult mouse”

#14 John-Oliver Dum, 14th place

Image source: Nikon's Small World “Sunflower pollen on an acupuncture needle”

#15 Dr. Pichaya Lertvilai, 15th place

Image source: Nikon's Small World “Fluorescent image of an Acropora sp. showing individual polyps with symbiotic zooxanthellae”

#16 Dr. Diego García, 16th place

Image source: Nikon's Small World “Carbon nanotubes”

#17 Yuan Ji, 17th place

Image source: Nikon's Small World “Chinese Moon Moth”

#18 Scott Peterson, 18th place

Image source: Nikon's Small World “ A cryptocrystalline micrometeorite resting on a No. 80 test sieve ”

#19 Marek Miś, 19th place

Image source: Nikon's Small World “Peace Lily Stomata”

#20 Daniel Castranova, 20th place

Image source: Nikon's Small World “ Adult transgenic zebrafish head showing blood vessels (blue), lymphatic vessels (yellow), and skin and scales (magenta) ”