Nikon has announced the winners of its Small World in Motion competition. The contest calls for videos shot using microscopic lenses, offering a view of the world that we rarely get to see with our bare eyes. This year’s winners include footage that shows the self-pollination process of a thymeleaf speedwell flower, a baby sea urchin and what it looks like when you put algae into the hole at the center of a 50 Yen Coin.
Nikon says it puts on the contest, which also has a corresponding stills photography section, to act as a “showcase of the world’s most dynamic microscopic imagery.” In a press release announcing the winners, Nikon senior communications manager Eric Flem said the winners show off “the extraordinary choreography of life unfolding at a scale beyond ordinary sight.”
First place: Jay McClellan
Second place: Benedikt Pleyer
Third place: Dr. Eric Vitriol
Fourth place: Penny Fenton
Fifth place: Dr. Alvaro Migotto
Honorable mentions
Alongside the winners, there were several honorable mentions, including to another video created by Jay McClellan. There are plenty of interesting and visually stunning videos included in the bunch, so be sure to scroll through them as well.