For 50 years, camera company Nikon has highlighted the wonders of microscopy with its annual Nikon Small World Microscopy Contest. This year’s winners highlight their groundbreaking insights into mouse brain tumor cells.
The Nikon Small World Contest celebrates the art of science and draws attention to the details we often overlook. As such, common subjects include human, animal, and plant cells, slime molds, extreme close-ups of insects, and physical processes frozen in time. Entries will be highly evaluated not only for their beauty but also for their scientific value.
Dr. Bruno Cisterna, Dr. Eric Vitriol
This is evidenced by this year’s overall winners, which were awarded to Dr. Bruno Cisterna and Dr. Eric Vitriol. Their photographs show differentiated mouse brain tumor cells, particularly highlighting components such as the actin cytoskeleton, microtubules, and nucleus. Importantly, it shows how disruption of these components can lead to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and ALS.
Second place went to Dr. Marcel Clemens for his stunning shot of an electric arc occurring between a pin and a wire. In third place was Chris Romaine’s image of a cannabis plant leaf, showing cannabinoid vesicles appearing as pink bubbles in hair-like plant appendages called trichomes.
Dr. Marcel Clemens
The remaining top 20 winners, as well as 67 honorable mentions and outstanding images, showcase a variety of small wonders, from cells and scales to eggs and embryos. Even in the 50th anniversary edition, there is no shortage of art to appreciate in the microscopic world.
“After 50 years, Nikon Small World is more than just an image contest; it’s now a gallery that pays homage to the incredible individuals who made it possible,” said Artic Flem, senior manager of CRM and communications at Nikon Instruments. states. “They are the driving force behind this event, skillfully combining science and art to reveal to the public the wonders of the microscopic world and what we can learn from it. Sometimes we overlook the small details of the world, and Nikon Small World reminds us to stop, appreciate the power and beauty of small things, and develop a deep curiosity to explore and question.”
Chris Romaine
Check out the rest of the winning entries in the gallery and see the full list of the top 87 entries on the Nikon Small World website. If microscopy videos are more your thing, there’s also always a Nikon Small World in Motion competition.
Source: Nikon Small World
