Amazing Images from the Small World Contest 2009

Written by on 09 October 2009

14th Place: Lobster egg (3.2x)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Tora Bardal

Nature’s artistry is on display in this picture of a lobster egg a few days before hatching. The image was taken while scientists measured eye diameter, which is done to predict hatching time. The photography and microscopy may not have been too fancy, but the patterns and colors certainly are.

15th Place: Atherix ibis (fly) aquatic larva (25x)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Fabrice Parais

What seems to be the head of some strange horned creature is actually the back end of a watersnipe fly larva. These weirdly shaped larvae are found in freshwater, and they and other bugs are often good indicators of water quality.

16th Place: Snail eggs (200x)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Massimo Brizzi

These symmetric ovals are actually the eggs of a pond snail. Snails deposits their eggs in large jelly-like clumps into the water. This picture shows a close-up of two of these eggs, with embryos developing inside them.

17th Place: Stopwatch (2.5x)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Rebekah R. Helton

A colorful image showing the inner gears of a pocket stop watch. A confocal microscope, usually used to examine tiny biological materials, was used for this unusual look at the inner workings of the timepiece. This kind of microscopy can show the depth of the stop watch’s various parts.

18th Place: Human skin on fibronectin with growth factor (60x)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Julia Sero

This image captures a moment in the life of a human skin cell after it has been stimulated with a soluble growth factor. The cell shape was constrained, and after it was stimulated migratory structures extended from its membrane. The colors indicate proteins responsible for cell movement. By looking at how these proteins co-localize, scientists can understand how, when, and where they interact.

19th Place: Snowflake (40x)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Yanping Wang

A photograph captures this rare type of snowflake. It only lasted for 2 hours out of three days of snowfall in Beijing, but at least the image endures.

20th Place: Rusted old coin (40x) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Havi SarfatyThe rust and dirt on this old coin transforms into a greenish-brown moonscape under the microscope. Found buried under the sand, the coin may have newfound value as a piece of abstract art.

1st Place, Popular Vote: Fluorescent actin bundles growing from the surface of coated beads (63X) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dennis Breitsprecher

Honorable Mention: Ciliated protozoa (1700x) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Dylan Burnette

Honorable Mention: Fungal infection of Arabidopsis (flowering plant) root (25x) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Kirk Czymmek

Honorable Mention: Rat cerebellum (200x) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Thomas Deerinck

Honorable Mention: Whole finch testicle (4x) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Nils O. E. Krutzfeldt

Honorable Mention: Fire agate (10x) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by David Millard

Honorable Mention: Aspergillus mold in a microfluidic device (20x) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Larry Millet

Honorable Mention: Aspergillus sp. (250x) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Juan Alberto Morales

Honorable Mention: Arabidopsis thaliana (thale cress) anther (20x) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Heiti Paves

Honorable Mention: Radula of Buccinum undatum (sea snail) (100x) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Juergen Pfleiderer

Honorable Mention: Biosensing liquid crystals (20x) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Jugal Gupta

Honorable Mention: Hoya carnosa (wax plant) flower (10x) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Viktor Sykora

Honorable Mention: Pluteus larva of a sea biscuit (echinoderm) (200x) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Bruno Vellutini

Honorable Mention: Water droplets ejected from a vibrating glass nozzle (200x) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Uwe Weierstall

Honorable Mention: A fruit fly ovariole containing different stages of developing egg chambers (400x) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Ting Xie

Honorable Mention: Mosquito larvae (100x) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Robert Zucker

Eriophorum vaginatum (Tussock cottongrass) corm (10X) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Ashley Marcellus

Eriophorum vaginatum (Tussock cottongrass) corm (10X) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Ashley Marcellus

Moth proboscis (10X) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Didier Grunwald

2 pinnae of Aspidium Felix (fern) (20X) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Christian Gautier

Agate – thin polished section (200X) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Greorg Niolaus Nyman

Branching filamentous diatom colonies with diatom ‘eyes’ (4X) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Arlene Wechezak

Patterned expression of wild-type and transgenic Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) embryos (200X) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Alistair Boettiger

Soap film (10X) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Karl E. Deckart

Dover Sole skin (20X) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Lawrence Bowler

Arabidopsis thaliana (thale cress) leaf epidermis and stomata (plant pores) (20X) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Tie Liu

Antique microscope slide featuring Sea Cucumber skin and anchors (7.5X) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Stephen Nagy, M.D.

Pyroxene and plagioclase (minerals) in granulite (metamorphic rock) (5X) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Bernardo Cesare

Neurons extending from human embryonic stem cell spheres (20X) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Daniel Webber

Grey cast iron (1000X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Doug Culley

Re-crystallized urea Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Kathleen Llorens

Neuromuscular synapses in a Drosophila larva (200X) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Herman Aberle

Diatom (480X) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Sharyn Hedrick

Embryo of guppy fish (40X) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Shamuel Silberman

Two Micrasterias sp. (green algae), live specimens (200X) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Marek Mis

Two Closterium sp. (algae), live specimens (200X) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Marek Mis

Marine diatoms (200X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Karl Bruun

Bile duct surrounded by scar tissue in a cirrhotic liver (20X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Richard Levenson

Chromosome from Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) salivary glands (1000X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Earl Nishiguchi

Benzoic Acid melt crystal (40X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Doug Craft

Echiniscus mediantus (tardigrade, water bear), in various states of movement
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Martin Mach

Polished grey banded Carnelian (3X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Pushpendra Jain

Section of female Nippostrongylus brasiliensis (nematode) with eggs (200X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by J. Claire Hoving

Mouse cranial base (200X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Theresa Freeman

Human ileum (20X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Mark Lloyd

A drop of pond water (100X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Jesper Gronne

Gastric secreting cells of a mouse (40X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Marian Miller

Salamander larvae in egg with symbiotic green algae (1X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Roger Hangarter

Green hydra on surface of spotted salamander egg mass (1X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Roger Hangarter

Tilia sp. stem (500X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Appie Bonis

Silver sand (500X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Appie Bonis

Quercus leaf gall formed by a Gall wasp (4X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Daniel Vega

Gall formed by Trigonaspis mendesi (4X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Daniel Vega

Hippocampal neuron (63X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Carlo Sala

Transverse section of brown algae (40X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. G. Lorenzo Calzoni

Crystal formed from desiccated phosphate-buffered saline (100X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Adele Vincent

Degenerating blue phase II crystals (100X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Christian Bohley

Mouse brain pyramidal cells (20X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Celine Plachez

100-form exhibition diatom arrangement (200X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Gregor Overney

Elmis sp. (beetle) aquatic larva (60X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Fabrice Parais

Head of Simulidae (fly) aquatic larva (40X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Fabrice Parais

Natural textures of the SmF phase of 1,4-di-(n-tridecylthophene-2-yl)-benzene (200X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Yulia A. Getmanenko

Dinosaur bone, Jurassic period (15X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Norm Barker

Raindrop on butterfly wing (20X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Karie Holtermann

Lime tree leaf vessels (30X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Josef Spacek

Neuronally differentiated P19 cells (400X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Eric Hwang

Photonic crystals prepared from dried colloidal silica (5X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Roy Goldberg

Salicornia europea (sprout) (20X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Pascal Ballester

Urea and mannitol (100X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Gregory Richter

Stephanoceros fimbriata (rotifer) on a moss leaf (80X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Jens Hallfeldt

Chalcedony with quartz in quartzite
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Denis Cote

Chaetopleura Apiculata (Chiton) radula (100X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Lyle Gordon

GaAs sample oxidized in water vapor (200X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Pedro Barrios-Perez

Recrystallized melt mix of carbon tetra-bromide and resorcinal (33X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. John Hart

Forelimb bone from a rat
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Timothy Bromage and Alejandro Perez Ochoa

Distribution of actin (green) & microtubule (red) cytoskeletons in fission yeast during mitosis (160X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Daniel Mulvihill

Life cycle of the social amoebae Dictyostelium discoideum (100X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Dirk Dormann

Mouse Purkinje (brain) cells (40X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Alan Opsahl

Dumbbell sponge spicule from an unidentified sponge (125X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Richard Howey

Lily anther, transverse section, showing pollen sacs (100X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Raymond Sloss

Lichen (10X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Viktor Sykora

Notonecta Glauca (Backswimmer aquatic insect) (100X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Massimo Brizzi

Ceratium hirundinella (freshwater dinoflagellate), living specimen (400X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Wim van Egmond

Filinia terminalis (rotifer) (250X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Wim van Egmond

Microalgae in silicone matrix (1000X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Eric Guyton

Zebrafish embryo, 22 hours post-fertilization, living specimen (40X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Frederique Ruf-Zamojski

Drosophila melanogaster immune cells (200X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Robert Markus

Three day old zebrafish larva with fluorescently labeled neurons (20X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Y. Albert Pan

Microprocessor with a pollen grain (50X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Robert Markus

Mouse cultured dorsal root ganglion neuron and satellite cells (1200X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Rainer Haberberger

Xenopus laevis (African clawed frog) tadpole (10X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Tong Zhang

Ammonium Dichromate, crystallized (160X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Artur Matysik

Oenothera biennis (Evening primrose) pollen grains (650X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Shirley Owens

Top of metal tufting hook used in a tufting machine to make carpets (5X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Marc Van Hove

Antique microscope slide featuring arranged diatoms (60X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Matthias Burba

Fish scale base, whole mount (125X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Daniel Cooper

Bundles of quartz fibers with linking bands of Fe-hydroxide (10X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Michelle Tebbe

Dennstaedtia sp. (cup fern) longitudinal rhizome section (10X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Stephen Lowry

Photonic crystal structure manufactured holographically (100X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Svetlana Savic-Sevice

Ventral view of Daphnia pulex (common water flea) (10X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Jan Michels

Pine skin (10X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Prof. W. Wu

Alzheimer Zebrafish, stained for Tau (red), neurons (green), synapses and pathologic Tau (blue) (10X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dominik Paquet

Rat kidney epithelial cells on a fibronectin surface pattern (630X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Ravi Desai

Giant liposomes of pulmonary surfactant (40X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Jorge Bernardino de la Serna

Arabidopsis thaliana (thale cress) stigma (20X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Heiti Paves

Section of circuit board (20X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Jennifer Hill

Mullerian epithelium from human fallopian tube (400X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Daniela Grifoni, PhD

Echinometra lucunter (sea urchin), oral view (20X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Alvaro Migotto

Coral, live polyp showing its mouth, glowing tissue and brown tentacles covering the stony skeleton (6X)
Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by James Nicholson