ADVERTISEMENT

Nikon has just announced the winners of its annual Small World Photomicrography competition, and as you can see from these stunning photographs, bigger isn't always better.

The competition is in its 42nd year and this year over 2000 people from 70 countries entered. For those that don't know, photomicrography is the practise of taking a photograph through a microscope or similar magnifying device in order to capture the intricate details of things invisible to the human eye. From the proboscis of a butterfly and the foot of a beetle to espresso coffee crystals, the pictures below give us a whole new way of looking at world. The categories are divided into winners, honorable mentions, and images of distinction, and you can find the full list on the Nikon Small World website.

More info: Nikon Small World (h/t: demilked)

#1

Fourth Place. Butterfly Proboscis

Fourth Place. Butterfly Proboscis

Jochen Schroeder Report

Add photo comments
POST
Lynn Daley
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Stunning! One of the best macro shots I've ever seen. Congradulations on derserving win!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
RELATED:
    #2

    Fifth Place. Front Foot (Tarsus) Of A Male Diving Beetle

    Fifth Place. Front Foot (Tarsus) Of A Male Diving Beetle

    Dr. Igor Siwanowicz Report

    #4

    Nineteenth Place. Human Neural Rosette Primordial Brain Cells

    Nineteenth Place. Human Neural Rosette Primordial Brain Cells

    Dr. Gist F. Croft Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #5

    Eleventh Place. Scales Of A Butterfly Wing Underside

    Eleventh Place. Scales Of A Butterfly Wing Underside

    Francis Sneyers Report

    #6

    Thirteenth Place. Poison Fangs Of A Centipede

    Thirteenth Place. Poison Fangs Of A Centipede

    Walter Piorkowski Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Yvonne Bernal
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    At first glance I thought it was an animals teeth. Either way, I would not want to be bit by them!

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #7

    Sixth Place. Air Bubbles Formed From Melted Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) Crystals

    Sixth Place. Air Bubbles Formed From Melted Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) Crystals

    Marek Mis Report

    #8

    Eighth Place. Wildflower Stamens

    Eighth Place. Wildflower Stamens

    Samuel Silberman Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #9

    Retinal Ganglion Cells In The Whole-Mounted Mouse Retina

    Retinal Ganglion Cells In The Whole-Mounted Mouse Retina

    Dr. Keunyoung Kim Report

    #10

    Ninth Place. Espresso Coffee Crystals

    Ninth Place. Espresso Coffee Crystals

    Vin Kitayama & Sanae Kitayama Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Nicole Boivin-Chiasson
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That one to the left looks like a snakes head, and you can even see a slithering tongue sticking out!!

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #11

    First Place. Four-Day-Old Zebrafish Embryo

    First Place. Four-Day-Old Zebrafish Embryo

    Dr. Oscar Ruiz Report

    #13

    Goatsbeard Flower

    Goatsbeard Flower

    Dr. Csaba Pintér Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Yvonne Bernal
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Aren't these the same flowers we pick as kids, then make a wish and blow on them?

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #14

    Second Place. Polished Slab Of Teepee Canyon Agate

    Second Place. Polished Slab Of Teepee Canyon Agate

    Douglas L. Moore Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Yvonne Bernal
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Could have fooled me.... I thought it was another butterfly wing!

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #15

    Seventh Place. Leaves Of Selaginella

    Seventh Place. Leaves Of Selaginella

    Dr. David Maitland Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Yvonne Bernal
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Interesting. Because of the beautiful lighting, I would never have guessed this to be a fern.

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #17

    Hippocampal Neurons

    Hippocampal Neurons

    Dr. Wutian Wu Report

    #20

    Jellyfish

    Jellyfish

    Teresa Zgoda Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #21

    Egg Of A Gulf Fritillary Butterfly

    Egg Of A Gulf Fritillary Butterfly

    David Millard Report

    #22

    Prolegs Of A Hairy Caterpillar Gripping A Small Branch

    Prolegs Of A Hairy Caterpillar Gripping A Small Branch

    James Dorey Report

    #23

    Interference Patterns On A Glycerin Based Soapy Solution

    Interference Patterns On A Glycerin Based Soapy Solution

    Haris Antonopoulos Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #25

    Beta-Alanine And Taurine Crystals

    Beta-Alanine And Taurine Crystals

    Matt Inman Report

    #26

    Gears Coupling Hind Legs Of A Planthopper Nymph

    Gears Coupling Hind Legs Of A Planthopper Nymph

    Dr. Igor Siwanowicz Report

    #27

    Twentieth Place. Cow Dung

    Twentieth Place. Cow Dung

    Michael Crutchley Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Shane Allon
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Quick Fact. Those liquid filled spores you see there are the fastest objects known to man(on earth). they accellerate faster than any bullet. This is so that the bacteria can land on a fresh piece of grass, far far away from the poo so that the cow can eat it again. Clever little spore right?

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #29

    Leg Of A Water Boatman

    Leg Of A Water Boatman

    Marek Miś Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Sean Gay
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is a beautiful transgender lgb..............whatever.

    #32

    Wildflower Stamens

    Wildflower Stamens

    Samuel Silberman Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Daria B
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I see the octopus monster in this one. And I feel like a cat that wants to attack it! =⊙.⊙=

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #33

    Twelfth Place. Human Hela Cell Undergoing Cell Division

    Twelfth Place. Human Hela Cell Undergoing Cell Division

    Dr. Dylan Burnette Report

    #34

    Sixteenth Place. 65 Fossil Radiolarians (Zooplankton) Carefully Arranged By Hand In Victorian Style

    Sixteenth Place. 65 Fossil Radiolarians (Zooplankton) Carefully Arranged By Hand In Victorian Style

    Stefano Barone Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #38

    Green Bottle Fly

    Green Bottle Fly

    Erno Endre Gergely Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Qwerty65
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If we see this much detail, it means it's big... and we need Master Chief to take it out. Seriously, it looks like something out of a Halo game.

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #39

    Curvepod Fumewort (Corydalis Curvisiliqua) Seed

    Curvepod Fumewort (Corydalis Curvisiliqua) Seed

    David Millard Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #42

    Fifteenth Place. Head Section Of An Orange Ladybird

    Fifteenth Place. Head Section Of An Orange Ladybird

    Geir Drange Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #43

    Dentate Gyrus Of A Optically-Cleared Transgenic Mouse Brain

    Dentate Gyrus Of A Optically-Cleared Transgenic Mouse Brain

    Hei Ming Lai & Dr. Wutian Wu Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    rai mei
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    so that's why mice reproduce fast, their brain also contains sperms

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #44

    Testis Of A Fruit Fly

    Testis Of A Fruit Fly

    Christopher Large Report

    #46

    Microcrystal Test For Oxycodone Using Platinic Bromide Solution

    Microcrystal Test For Oxycodone Using Platinic Bromide Solution

    Kelly Brinsko Report

    #47

    Ammonite Shell

    Ammonite Shell

    Norm Barker Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #49

    Tenth Place. Frontonia (Showing Ingested Food, Cilia, Mouth And Trichocysts)

    Tenth Place. Frontonia (Showing Ingested Food, Cilia, Mouth And Trichocysts)

    Rogelio Moreno Gill Report

    #52

    Deep Sea Crustacea

    Deep Sea Crustacea

    Dr. Tomonari Kaji Report

    #53

    Mouse Hand, Showing Veins

    Mouse Hand, Showing Veins

    Evan Darling Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    over opinionated
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How many pictures of mouse parts not attached have I seen eyes brains hands... sure multi coloured things are pretty but you didn't need to mutilate the poor creature

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #55

    Diclofenac Crystals

    Diclofenac Crystals

    Adolfo Ruiz De Segovia Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    over opinionated
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Don't know what they are but I wish they were bigger it would make a good jewelry jewel

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #56

    Ant Pupae

    Ant Pupae

    Geir Drange Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #58

    Cross Section Of Stem Of Barley

    Cross Section Of Stem Of Barley

    Dr. Stephen Lowry Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #59

    Viperfish

    Viperfish

    Dr. Alvaro Roura Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #60

    Early Stages Of Mouse Embryo Development

    Early Stages Of Mouse Embryo Development

    Dr. Gaelle Recher Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #61

    Fourteenth Place. Mouse Retinal Ganglion Cells

    Fourteenth Place. Mouse Retinal Ganglion Cells

    Dr. Keunyoung Kim Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #62

    Section Of The Cerebellum

    Section Of The Cerebellum

    Dr. Marc Leushacke Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #63

    Galls Of A Mite

    Galls Of A Mite

    Györgyi Zséli Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Sean Gay
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    With blurred vision(don't go there) it looks like a road map with multi coloured fields of patchwork dreams.

    #64

    Surface Of Embryonic Mouse Kidney

    Surface Of Embryonic Mouse Kidney

    Dr. Nils Lindström Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #65

    Tintinnid Ciliate Of The Marine Plankton

    Tintinnid Ciliate Of The Marine Plankton

    Dr. John R. Dolan Report

    #66

    Hippocampal Slice Culture Stained For Neurons

    Hippocampal Slice Culture Stained For Neurons

    Dr. Jennifer L. Peters Report

    #67

    Forewing (Elytron) Of A Tiger Beetle

    Forewing (Elytron) Of A Tiger Beetle

    Dr. Rudolf Büchi Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Rudolf Büchi
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The forewing of the tiger beetle and the scale oft he forester moth are seen by the unaided human eye as a deep green. This picture with a magnification of 500x reveals that it is an additive color mixing of many color points originating from a combination of multilayer interference and dense arranged dimples in the insect cuticle.

    #68

    Leaves Of A Liverwort

    Leaves Of A Liverwort

    Magdalena Turzańska Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #69

    Actin, Mitochondria And Dna In A Bovine Pulmonary Artery Endothelial Cell

    Actin, Mitochondria And Dna In A Bovine Pulmonary Artery Endothelial Cell

    Dr. Talley J. Lambert Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #71

    Eighteenth Place. Parts Of Wing-Cover

    Eighteenth Place. Parts Of Wing-Cover

    Pia Scanlon Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #72

    Jurinea Mollis Seed

    Jurinea Mollis Seed

    Viktor Sykora Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #73

    Micrasterias Thomasiana

    Micrasterias Thomasiana

    Jacek Myslowski Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #75

    Cross Section Of A Lily Of The Valley

    Cross Section Of A Lily Of The Valley

    Falco Krüger Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #76

    Cultured Fat Cells

    Cultured Fat Cells

    Heiko T. Jansen Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #77

    Cross-Section Through A Multi-Layered Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Composite Structure For Defect Analysis

    Cross-Section Through A Multi-Layered Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Composite Structure For Defect Analysis

    Peter Pook Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #78

    A Daisy’s Central Disc Pattern Of Tiny Unopened Flowers

    A Daisy’s Central Disc Pattern Of Tiny Unopened Flowers

    Peter Courtney Kinchington Report

    #79

    Trumpet Animalcule Containing Endosymbionts

    Trumpet Animalcule Containing Endosymbionts

    Wim van Egmond Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #80

    Dasineura Affinis

    Dasineura Affinis

    Dr. Csaba Pintér Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #82

    Zebrafish Fin With Cylindrical Bone Segments And Rows Of Pigment

    Zebrafish Fin With Cylindrical Bone Segments And Rows Of Pigment

    Dr. Leonardo Andrade Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #83

    Fossil Diatom From Oamaru

    Fossil Diatom From Oamaru

    Frank Fox Report

    #84

    Section Of Stem Of A Bomarea Densiflora Plant Specimen

    Section Of Stem Of A Bomarea Densiflora Plant Specimen

    Edgar Javier Rincón Report

    Add photo comments
    POST