Photograph: Jonas King/Nikon Small World
The Nikon Small World Awards, now in their 35th year, celebrate photographs taken on a microscopic level by chemists, biologists, materials researchers and botanists. The images pack a strong visual effect. The photo above, a close up view of the heart of a mosquito, won first prize this year.
These works, selected by competition judges, include close-up photographs of iridescent crystals of the mineral cacoxenite; a starfish embryo; an extinct marine diatom; a butterfly egg nestling among the buds of a flower; trout alevin; and a caddis fly larva head.
Click the link below to see the submissions of winners and short-listed finalists in the competition.