The microscopic world around us contains extraordinary details that remain invisible to the naked eye, yet exist in remarkable complexity and beauty. Nikon's Small World Photomicrography Competition has returned for 2025, once again revealing the hidden intricacies of life that can only be observed through advanced microscopy techniques.
This year's competition highlights an impressive range of microscopic subjects, from dozens of algae cells floating within a single water droplet to the intricate inner workings of dedifferentiated liver cells. The winning images and honorable mentions collectively showcase the incredible diversity of life forms that exist at the microscopic level, demonstrating both scientific significance and artistic beauty.
Among the standout entries is Jianguo Mao's captivating image of a pregnant water flea (Daphnia) from Shanghai, China, which reveals the delicate structures of this tiny aquatic creature. Zhang You from Kunming, Yunnan, China, contributed a striking photograph of a rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae) positioned on a single grain of rice, illustrating the relationship between pest and food source at a microscopic scale.
Dr. Jan Rosenboom from Rostock, Mecklenburg Vorpommern, Germany, captured the geometric beauty of colonial algae (Volvox) spheres suspended in a drop of water, while Rogelio Moreno from Panama City, Panama, documented the intricate spore sacs (sporangia) of a fern. These images demonstrate how even the most basic biological processes contain unexpected visual complexity.
The medical and botanical sciences are well represented in this year's collection. Dr. Francisco Lázaro-Diéguez from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, New York, contributed a detailed image of a dedifferentiated liver cell, providing insight into cellular biology. Meanwhile, Marek Miś from Suwalki, Podlaskie, Poland, showcased sunflower trichomes—hair-like plant outgrowths that reveal the intricate surface structures of familiar plants.
Additional notable entries include Dr. Igor Robert Siwanowicz's photograph from Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) at Janelia Research Campus in Ashburn, Virginia, featuring the blue and purple spores of a small tropical fern (Ceratopteris richardii). Dr. Stephen De Lisle from Karlstad University's Department of Environmental and Life Sciences in Karlstad, Värmland, Sweden, contributed an image of lily flower pollen captured using autofluorescence techniques.
The competition also features Bernard Allard's photograph of a parasitic fly (Crataerina hirundinis) from Club Français de Microscopie in Sucy-en-Brie, France, demonstrating how even parasitic organisms possess their own unique structural beauty when viewed under magnification.
The complete collection of winning images and honorable mentions is available through the contest's online gallery, offering viewers the opportunity to explore the microscopic world in unprecedented detail. The competition continues to serve as both a scientific documentation project and an artistic showcase, bridging the gap between research and public appreciation for the unseen complexities of life that surround us daily.
