6 ms·

The Nikon Small World Competition

166 points by ivank 6y ago

doomlaser 6y ago
Especially like the abstract angular nature of the 1996 winner, 'Doxorubin in methanol and dimethylbenzenesulfonic acid' by Lars Bech https://www.nikonsmallworld.com/galleries/1996-photomicrography-competition/doxorubin-in-methanol-and-dimethylbenzenesulfonic-acid https://www.nikonsmallworld.com/galleries/1996-photomicrogra...
- didymospl 6y ago
  This one got my attention too. I don't know if it's because it's only one that's monochromatic, or it just reminds me of Radiohead's Kid A artwork.
  - cpach 6y ago
    Hah, you’re right. Those two are very similar!
- rangibaby 6y ago
  It looks like castles
- flobosg 6y ago
  I get the impression of a certain style of children's book illustration.
notRobot 6y ago
I've been staring at the "Iridium Phosphide surface @ 1000x magnification" for a few minutes now; I find it strangely enchanting: https://www.nikonsmallworld.com/galleries/1996-photomicrography-competition/indium-phosphide-surface https://www.nikonsmallworld.com/galleries/1996-photomicrogra...
- dan_hawkins 6y ago
  * Indium
082349872349872 6y ago
I'm a fan of cross polarised thin sections: https://c8.alamy.com/comp/AX1388/lherzolite-rock-thin-section-showing-minerals-through-cross-polarized-AX1388.jpg https://c8.alamy.com/comp/AX1388/lherzolite-rock-thin-sectio... (especially because rotating the stage changes the colours, for an instant 60's light show.) Bonus clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlxUnzuMAD0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlxUnzuMAD0
- edjrage 6y ago
  Am I missing something or didn't you actually intend to link to P!nk - White Rabbit (Full Studio Version)?
  - 082349872349872 6y ago
    riffing off the 60's light show, sorry. The Lucy in the Sky part of Yellow Submarine is no longer up on Youtube, and I was too lazy to search out the old analogue days. You wouldn't believe the frame rates they had: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n3ezT1cvAM&t=30 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n3ezT1cvAM&t=30
- legolas_ 6y ago
  I agree. I quite like the "Chemical Crystals" under "Polarized Transmitted Light Microscope" at https://www.dealcorner.com/Photomicroscopy/ https://www.dealcorner.com/Photomicroscopy/
modernerd 6y ago
It's wonderful that microscopic algae can look like a giant starship engine: https://www.nikonsmallworld.com/galleries/2020-photomicrography-competition/silica-cell-wall-of-the-marine-diatom-arachnoidiscus-sp https://www.nikonsmallworld.com/galleries/2020-photomicrogra... Yet these things generate up to 50 percent of the oxygen produced on the planet each year and make up about half of the organic material found in our oceans.
- est31 6y ago
  For comparison, a real rocket engine: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/F-1_fuel_injector.JPG https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/F-1_fuel...
- odnes 6y ago
  I wonder how plausible it is to genetically engineer algae to sequester more carbon e.g. make them bigger and heavier so they sink to the bottom of the ocean, and also make them reproduce faster. Does anyone know anything about this? (I don't)
  - londons_explore 6y ago
    They live in a hugely competitive environment. Any custom algae that weren't as competitive as natural ones would soon die out, and it's pretty hard to beat nature at its own game...
  - flobosg 6y ago
    Engineering RuBisCO (the enzyme in charge of carbon fixation and the rate-limiting step in photosynthesis) has been quite difficult, as some side reactions generate products that, for instance, inhibit RuBisCO itself. If you make the fixation reaction more efficient the other ones follow. Another option is increase the amount of RuBisCO in the cell. In cyanobacteria the enzyme is encapsulated in compartments called carboxysomes. Some studies have introduced carboxysome-like components in non-cyanobacterial organisms with varying results.
- Cullinet 6y ago
supernumerary 6y ago
Tapeworm mouth is pretty: https://www.nikonsmallworld.com/galleries/2020-photomicrography-competition/head-of-a-tapeworm-taenia-pisiformis https://www.nikonsmallworld.com/galleries/2020-photomicrogra...
- LargoLasskhyfv 6y ago
  Sarlacc! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarlacc https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarlacc
dekhn 6y ago
Many of the crystal photos wouldn't be too hard to reproduce on your own- a reasonably good microscope (Amscope) costs about $1K or less on Amazon, you need an adapter to plug in a DSLR, and a DSLR ($500). Then it's mainly a matter of mixing up supersaturated solutions. I've managed to get images of sugar forming crystal towers, which is fun to watch.
martingoodson 6y ago
If you like this you'd love the Animal Earth book by Ross Piper. It's absolutely beautiful. https://www.rosspiper.net/writing/animal-earth/ https://www.rosspiper.net/writing/animal-earth/

166 points by ivank 6y ago

Especially like the abstract angular nature of the 1996 winner, 'Doxorubin in methanol and dimethylbenzenesulfonic acid' by Lars Bech https://www.nikonsmallworld.com/galleries/1996-photomicrography-competition/doxorubin-in-methanol-and-dimethylbenzenesulfonic-acid https://www.nikonsmallworld.com/galleries/1996-photomicrogra...

didymospl 6y ago
This one got my attention too. I don't know if it's because it's only one that's monochromatic, or it just reminds me of Radiohead's Kid A artwork.
- cpach 6y ago
  Hah, you’re right. Those two are very similar!
rangibaby 6y ago
It looks like castles
flobosg 6y ago
I get the impression of a certain style of children's book illustration.

notRobot 6y ago

I've been staring at the "Iridium Phosphide surface @ 1000x magnification" for a few minutes now; I find it strangely enchanting: https://www.nikonsmallworld.com/galleries/1996-photomicrography-competition/indium-phosphide-surface https://www.nikonsmallworld.com/galleries/1996-photomicrogra...

dan_hawkins 6y ago
* Indium

082349872349872 6y ago

I'm a fan of cross polarised thin sections: https://c8.alamy.com/comp/AX1388/lherzolite-rock-thin-section-showing-minerals-through-cross-polarized-AX1388.jpg https://c8.alamy.com/comp/AX1388/lherzolite-rock-thin-sectio... (especially because rotating the stage changes the colours, for an instant 60's light show.) Bonus clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlxUnzuMAD0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlxUnzuMAD0

edjrage 6y ago
Am I missing something or didn't you actually intend to link to P!nk - White Rabbit (Full Studio Version)?
- 082349872349872 6y ago
  riffing off the 60's light show, sorry. The Lucy in the Sky part of Yellow Submarine is no longer up on Youtube, and I was too lazy to search out the old analogue days. You wouldn't believe the frame rates they had: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n3ezT1cvAM&t=30 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n3ezT1cvAM&t=30
legolas_ 6y ago
I agree. I quite like the "Chemical Crystals" under "Polarized Transmitted Light Microscope" at https://www.dealcorner.com/Photomicroscopy/ https://www.dealcorner.com/Photomicroscopy/

modernerd 6y ago

It's wonderful that microscopic algae can look like a giant starship engine: https://www.nikonsmallworld.com/galleries/2020-photomicrography-competition/silica-cell-wall-of-the-marine-diatom-arachnoidiscus-sp https://www.nikonsmallworld.com/galleries/2020-photomicrogra... Yet these things generate up to 50 percent of the oxygen produced on the planet each year and make up about half of the organic material found in our oceans.

est31 6y ago
For comparison, a real rocket engine: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/F-1_fuel_injector.JPG https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/F-1_fuel...
odnes 6y ago
I wonder how plausible it is to genetically engineer algae to sequester more carbon e.g. make them bigger and heavier so they sink to the bottom of the ocean, and also make them reproduce faster. Does anyone know anything about this? (I don't)
- londons_explore 6y ago
  They live in a hugely competitive environment. Any custom algae that weren't as competitive as natural ones would soon die out, and it's pretty hard to beat nature at its own game...
- flobosg 6y ago
  Engineering RuBisCO (the enzyme in charge of carbon fixation and the rate-limiting step in photosynthesis) has been quite difficult, as some side reactions generate products that, for instance, inhibit RuBisCO itself. If you make the fixation reaction more efficient the other ones follow. Another option is increase the amount of RuBisCO in the cell. In cyanobacteria the enzyme is encapsulated in compartments called carboxysomes. Some studies have introduced carboxysome-like components in non-cyanobacterial organisms with varying results.
Cullinet 6y ago

supernumerary 6y ago

Tapeworm mouth is pretty: https://www.nikonsmallworld.com/galleries/2020-photomicrography-competition/head-of-a-tapeworm-taenia-pisiformis https://www.nikonsmallworld.com/galleries/2020-photomicrogra...

LargoLasskhyfv 6y ago
Sarlacc! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarlacc https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarlacc

dekhn 6y ago

Many of the crystal photos wouldn't be too hard to reproduce on your own- a reasonably good microscope (Amscope) costs about $1K or less on Amazon, you need an adapter to plug in a DSLR, and a DSLR ($500). Then it's mainly a matter of mixing up supersaturated solutions. I've managed to get images of sugar forming crystal towers, which is fun to watch.

martingoodson 6y ago

If you like this you'd love the Animal Earth book by Ross Piper. It's absolutely beautiful. https://www.rosspiper.net/writing/animal-earth/ https://www.rosspiper.net/writing/animal-earth/