Microscopic images

Magnified sand crystals

A global photography contest produces stunning images from an invisible world

Image SJ3630: Nerve fiber node. Colored transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of a cross-section through a nerve fiber (axon) at a node of Ranvier. The axon (blue) is surrounded by a fatty insulating sheath of myelin (green), which increases the speed of the nerve signal. Nodes of Ranvier are areas of exposed axon, with a high concentration of sodium channels. Instead of traveling continuously along the length of the axon, the impulse jumps between these nodes in a process called saltatory…

Browallia speciosa pollen grain, coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). Pollen grains are reproductive structures produced by the male parts of flowering plants.

Geranium dissectum flower Courtesy of Dr. Riccardo Antonelli Image Details Instrument used: Quanta SEM Magnification: 140x Horizontal Field Width: 1.07 mm Vacuum: Low vacuum Voltage: 12.50 kV Spot: 4.0 Working Distance: 5.2 mm Detector: LFD

The Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition has been held for forty-five years now, celebrating the mesmerizing microscopic world and allowing scientists and enthusiasts alike to share their scientific and stunning images. Over 2000 photographs were submitted for the competition with micro-photographers from nearly 100 countries. The judges picked their top 20 images and the photo of a turtle embryo took the first place. Scroll down below to see all 20 photographs that made it to the…

O concurso de fotomicrografia do mundo pequeno da Nikon acontece há 45 anos, celebrando o mundo microscópico fascinante e permitindo que cientistas e

Science Image of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) pollen grains. from PS MicroGraphs. Specialists in Science Images. 80200136

Nikon Small World awards microscope photographer cash prizes for their best microscope pictures each year, and 2016 has brought some truly beautiful images.

Nikon has just announced the winners of its annual Small World Photomicrography competition, and as you can see from these stunning photographs, bigger isn't always better.

Nikon announces the winners of its 2018 Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition, in which images of spider embryos, mold spores, amino acid crystals and a human tear become art.

These brightly coloured shapes are the last thing you would want in your house - particularly if you suffer from hay fever.

Getting really close to an object can reveal things that you’d never imagine just looking at it with your naked eye. When photographers and scientists train their eye on coffee with an elect…

Artist Susumu Nishinaga has used a scanning electron microscope to delve deep into the fabric of petal, leaves and pollen