The 25 most jaw-dropping images from Nikon’s Small World 2023 microphotography contest
Take a very close look at alien spiders, teeny cuckoo wasps, pork parasites and caffeine crystals.
The winners of the most prestigious prize in science imaging have just been announced, with an incredible image of an optic nerve of a rat taking the title.
The image, which was taken by Hassanain Qambari and assisted by Jayden Dickson of the Lions Eye Institute, provides an important contribution to the study of diabetic retinopathy, an eye disease which affects one in five persons with diabetes worldwide.
Diabetic retinopathy occurs when high blood sugar damages the blood vessels in the tissue at the back of the eye, known as the retina. The damaged blood vessels can swell and leak, which causes blurry vision and total loss of eyesight in some cases. Since 2021, Qambari has devoted his time and research to the early detection and reversal of the disease.
Second place was awarded to Ole Bielfeldt for his dramatic image of a matchstick igniting by the friction surface of the box. The image was taken within one eight-thousands of a second and is made up of multiple images.
Third place was awarded to Malgorzata Lisowska for her image of breast cancer cells.
Now in its 49th year, Nikon Small World is open to anyone with an interest in photography or video. It is renowned for celebrating photographic and artistic excellence in photomicrography.
Image of Distinction
Image of Distinction
Image of Distinction
Honourable mention
Honourable mention
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Read more about slime moulds:
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Third place
Second place
Overall winner
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