Congratulations to all the winners of our milestone 50th anniversary #NikonSmallWorld competition! We're so grateful for every single person who submitted and made this competition into what it is today. The complete 2024 winning gallery is now live: 🔬

Happy #FlowerFriday! Bonus, it's also #FunFactFriday. Did you know that the curled, young shoots of the ostrich fern (known as fiddleheads) are edible?. Credit: Anatoly Mikhaltsov

The weekend is almost here! Hope you're feeling as optimistic as this cross section of a water lily leaf bud looks. 😁. Credit: Dr. David Maitland

We've had quite a few judges over the years that have experienced the competition themselves as contestants. The latest to follow this pipeline is 2025 judge Dr. Andrew Moore, who reflects on how he'll approach his submissions to future competitions. Check it out! 🎥

Your friendly reminder to do your part to keep our oceans clean. ☺️🐠🌊. Credit: Dr. Robert B. Simmons

We're just over a month away from announcing the winners of this year's #NikonSmallWorldInMotion competition! What are you most excited to see moving under the microscope?. Credit: Dr. Jeffrey A.J. van Haren

Happy #FlowerFriday! 🌸 Enjoy this beautiful wildflower captured under the microscope. Credit: Samuel Silberman

Caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) is a deliquescent substance, meaning it can actually “absorb” moisture from the air and dissolve itself!. Credit: Loes Modderman

Sea stars don’t have brains, but they do have complex nervous systems — and this one’s only two months old. Credit: Dr. Laurent Formery

Drosophila melanogaster, more commonly known as fruit flies, can actually remember odors for several days. They use this ability to avoid harmful foods and seek out better ones. 🪰. Credit: Dr. Michael John Bridge

Anemones have a single adhesive "foot," known as a basal disc, which helps them stick to underwater surfaces like rocks and shells. 🦶 . Credit: Wim van Egmond

Happy #FlowerFriday! Viola odorata isn’t just sweet by name. Its roots have been used in traditional medicine for centuries. Credit: Gerhard Zimmert

This sea cucumber might not have a face, but its skin is drop-dead gorgeous. Have you read our latest Masters of Microscopy article about the photographer behind this image yet? . Credit: Christian Gautier

Meet the members of this year's #NikonSmallWorld judging panel! Deboki, Jeff, Andy, Liz, and Greg gathered this summer to determine the best photos and videos taken through the microscope. Learn what qualified them to judge this year's competition: 🔗

Not only can sea stars regenerate lost arms, some species can even regrow an entire body from just one arm! 🌟. Credit: Dr. Bruno Vellutini

Penny for your thoughts? 💭🧠. Credit: Dr. María Prado-Figueroa

Happy Friday! Metamorphic rock, like this graphite-bearing granulite from India captured using polarized light, is a stunning example of the ever-changing nature of our planet. 🌏. Credit: Dr. Bernardo Cesare

Micro-flow patterns in thinning soap films arise from complex interactions of surface tension, viscosity, and gravity, often leading to surprising phenomena, like the image captured here. 🌈. Credit: Dr. Tsutomu Seimiya

Sulfur is an essential element for all living things, but it often emits the smell of rotten eggs and skunk spray due to the presence of compounds such as hydrogen sulfide and mercaptans. #WednesdayWisdom. Credit: Gerd Günther

What makes a whale's skin so captivating? Ocean minerals, deep hydration, and a bit of marine magic! 🧴🐋✨. Credit: Christopher Whitney

Fun Fact: M-plane sapphire is often used in the manufacturing and development of LED lights because its crystal structure helps reduce defects, making the LED more efficient and longer-lasting. 💡. Credit: Melissa K. Santala