Invisible to the naked eye: 15 gorgeous images captured under a microscope

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A groundbreaking image of mouse brain tumor cells took top honors at the 2024 Nikon Small World Competition. At first glance, the image (seen below) might look like a sci-fi plant structure, but it’s actually the actin, microtubules, and nuclei of the cells. “This image reveals how disruptions in the cell’s cytoskeleton–the structural framework and ‘highways’ known as microtubules–can lead to diseases like Alzheimer’s and ALS,” a press release explains.

The image was taken by Dr. Bruno Cisterna, with assistance from Dr. Eric Vitriol. Capturing the image took a considerable amount of patience for the Augusta University research scientists. “I spent about three months perfecting the staining process to ensure clear visibility of the cells,” Cisterna said. “After allowing five days for the cells to differentiate, I had to find the right field of view where the differentiated and non-differentiated cells interacted.This took about three hours of precise observation under the microscope to capture the right moment, involving many attempts and countless hours of work to get it just right.”

Differentiated mouse brain tumor cells
1st Place. Differentiated mouse brain tumor cells (actin, microtubules, and nuclei). Credit: Dr. Bruno Cisterna & Dr. Eric Vitriol / Nikon Small World

The Nikon Small World Competition celebrates its 50th year in 2024 with more than 2,100 entries submitted from 80 countries. Organizers call the awards the “leading forum for recognizing the art, proficiency, and photographic excellence involved in photomicrography.”

(Click on images to expand to expand their beauty.)

two drops on a mushroom-like structure
11th Place. Slime mold on a rotten twig with water droplets. Credit: Dr. Ferenc Halmos / Nikon Small World
face of a little two-spotted ladybird
Honorable Mention. Autofluorescence in the face of a little two-spotted ladybird (Diomus notescens). Credit: Angus Rae / Nikon Small World
neon shrimp
Honorable Mention. Brine shrimp. Credit: Christopher Algar / Nikon Small World
many bubbles that look like a face
Honorable Mention. Transverse section of rachis (stem) of bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum). Credit: Dr. David Maitland / Nikon Small World David Maitland
cluster of approximately 25 oval-shaped translucent eggs in a cluster
5th Place. Cluster of octopus (Octopus hummelincki) eggs. Credit: Thomas Barlow & Connor Gibbons / Nikon Small World
Electrical arc between a pin and a wire shows as blue and purple
2nd Place. Electrical arc between a pin and a wire. Credit: Dr. Marcel Clemens / Nikon Small World
Cross section of European beach grass
7th Place. Cross section of European beach grass (Ammophila arenaria) leaf. Credit: Gerhard Vlcek / Nikon Small World
Cribraria cancellata, also known as Dictydium cancellatum, slime mold from Finland, microscope image
6th Place. Cribraria cancellata, also known as Dictydium cancellatum, slime mold from Finland. Credit: Henri Koskinen / Nikon Small World
seed with many parts
19th Place. Seed of a Silene plant. Credit: Alison Pollack / Nikon Small World Alison K. Pollack
Two water fleas (Daphnia sp.) with embryos (left) and eggs (right)
16th Place. Two water fleas (Daphnia sp.) with embryos (left) and eggs (right). Credit: Marek Miś / Nikon Small World
eight black eyes bulge on a green slimy surface
13th Place. Eyes of green crab spider (Diaea dorsata). Credit: Paweł Błachowicz / Nikon Small World
ladybug on a leaf
Image of Distinction. Ladybug (Coccinellidae) on a clover (Trifolium repens). Credit: Dr. Marko Pende / Nikon Small World
Prototrichia metallica, exceptionally nivicolous slime mold fruiting body. Focus-stacked composite of 337 exposures at 10x lifesize. Eldorado National Forest, Sierra Nevada, Alpine County, California, USA.
Image of Distinction. Prototrichia metallica, exceptionally nivicolous slime mold fruiting body. Credit: Timothy Boomer / Nikon Small World Timothy Boomer
Anterior section of palm weevil
Image of Distinction. Anterior section of palm weevil. Credit: Dr. Sherif Abdallah Ahmed / Nikon Small World
 
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