Selected from over 1,300 entries from 72 countries, here are some of the most impressive images from the Nikon Small World microphotography contest.
Spiders, snails, wasps, geckos and more come alive in wild new ways under a microscope, unearthing details, color, textures and more that the naked eye alone can’t see.
See the whole contest here.
Long-bodied cellar/daddy long-legs spider (Pholcus phalangioides), Dr. Andrew Posselt. 4th place. All images courtesy of Nikon Small World, shared with permission
Radula (rasping tongue) of a marine snail (Turbinidae family), Dr. Igor Siwanowicz. Honorable mention.
Unburned particles of carbon released when the hydrocarbon chain of candle wax breaks down, Ole Bielfeldt. 6th place.
Embryonic hand of a Madagascar giant day gecko (Phelsuma grandis), Grigorii Timin & Dr. Michel Milinkovitch. First place
A fly under the chin of a tiger beetle, Murat Öztürk. 10th place.
Slime mold (Lamproderma), Alison Pollack. 5th place.
Butterfly egg, Ye Fei Zhang. Honorable mention.
Ammophila arenaria (grass stem), Anatoly Mikhaltsov. Image of distinction.
Paper wasp stinger, Pablo Piedra. Image of distinction.
Growing tip of a red algae
Moth eggs by Ye Fei Zhang