Stunning images reveal the wonders of the microscopic world

Weather of Arabia - National Geographic Arabic - The winners of the global "Nikon Microscopic Images Small World" competition document the wonders of the natural world that are hidden from our naked eyes

Throughout history, it has been difficult for humans to understand reality that is not perceived by our senses, for example, the sensory worlds experienced by animals, the vast universe, and the microscopic worlds so small that we could not see with the naked eye.

Fortunately, humans have mastered the art of zooming in and taking pictures. Each year, the global Nikon Microscope Small World competition showcases images that transport us to a world invisible to our eyes. The jury examined about 1,300 photos this year to select an elite group that takes the lead. The winner of the competition was a shot by photographers Grigory Timin and Michael Milinkovic from the University of Geneva, showing the hand of a giant Madagascar daygiver's hand. The whole picture was formed using a microscope and image synthesis, to produce a light scene that reveals the complexity of this gecko's hand, shedding light on the nerves, tendons, ligaments, bones and blood cells that work synergistically to help these creatures easily climb walls.

Other images show a network of human milk ducts, puffs of smoke, and the fruiting body of slime mold. All the winning photos can be viewed on Nikon's website.. We leave you here with a set of these amazing photos.

A puff of smoke showing the fine particles of smoke consisting of unburned carbon from a burning candle. Photographer Ollie Bielefeld created this image in his lab using a high-speed shutter and a powerful light source. Photo: Ole Bielfeldt

The tiger beetle is one of the fastest insects, with jaws so powerful that it is difficult for its prey to escape. Photo: Murat Öztürk

High-order liquid crystal splash, magnified 40 times and photographed using a polarizing filter. Photo: Marek Sutkowski

The fourth-placed image of a spider, created by compiling over 200 individual computer shots. Photo: Andrew Posselt

Source: National Geographic Arabic