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These Seven Award-Winning Microscope Pics Are Unreal

Ever wondered what the eye of a Daddy Longlegs looks like up close?
The second-placed photograph in the 2017 Nikon Small World Competition. It's a picture of the Senecio vulgaris (a flowering plant) seed head, at 2x zoom.
Dr. Havi Sarfaty, Eyecare Clinic, Yahud-Monoson, Israel Senecio vulgaris (a flowering plant) seed head, Stereomicroscopy 2x
The second-placed photograph in the 2017 Nikon Small World Competition. It's a picture of the Senecio vulgaris (a flowering plant) seed head, at 2x zoom.

The winners of the Nikon Small Worlds Photography Competition were announced recently, and some of the results are absolutely stunning.

Over 2,000 entries from 88 countries were received, and the judges had to narrow that down to just a few key winners. The competition, which is in its 43rd year, celebrates the best images captured with a microscope annually.

Here are some of the most spectacular:

1. The eye of a Daddy Longlegs

Charles Krebs, Charles Krebs Photography, Nikon Small World Photography Competition 2017

This picture placed 12th in the Nikon Small World Photography Competition 2017. It was taken by Charles Krebs, of Charles Krebs Photography from Issaquah, Washington, USA. The photo shows the eye of an Opiliones (or Daddy Longlegs) and uses reflected light and image stacking to get a photo that is 20x zoomed.

2. The head of a tapeworm

4th Placed Image in the Nikon Small Worlds Photography Competition, by Teresa Zgoda of Rochester Institute of Technology
4th Placed image in the Nikon Small World Photography Competition, by Teresa Zgoda of Rochester Institute of Technology

At a spectacular 200x zoom, this image by Teresa Zgoda of Rochester Institude of Technology shows the everted scolex of a tapeworm (or Taenia Solium). The photo came 4th in the competition.

3. The seed head of a plant

Dr. Havi Sarfaty, Eyecare Clinic, 2nd Place in the Nikon Small World Photography Competition

This photo shows the seed head of a plant that is just flowering, known as a Senecio Vulgaris. The shot was captured by Dr. Havi Sarfaty of Eyecare Clinic, and it landed the photographer 2nd place in the Small World competition. It uses a technique called stereomicroscopy, which employs a microscope with two eyepieces - letting the photographer grab a shot that has a lot more contrast and perception of depth.

4. Mould on a tomato

Dean Lerman, 5th Place in the Nikon Small Worlds Photography Competition

This image, by Dean Lerman of Netanya, Israel, is a close-up of mould growing on a tomato. It's zoomed in 3.9x, and came 5th in the Nikon Small World Photography Competition.

5. The face of a Jumping Spider

2017 Nikon Small World Finalists Honorable Mentions Emre Can Alagöz Marmara University, Department of Photography , Nikon Small Worlds Photography Competition

Taken in Istanbul, Turkey, this picture by Emre Can Alagoz shows the face of a Jumping Spider in insane detail. In fact - if you look closely, you can even see the lens of the camera reflected in each eye.

6. The minerals Nsutite and Cacoxenite

Emilio Carabajal Márquez, Madrid, Spain, Nikon Small Worlds Photography Competition

At 5x zoom, this photo by Emilio Carabajal Marquez

Dr. Bram van den Broek, Andriy Volkov, Dr. Kees Jalink, Dr. Nicole Schwarz & Dr. Reinhard Windoffer The Netherlands Cancer Institute, BioImaging Facility & Department of Cell Biology , 1st Place Nikon Small Worlds Photography Competition

captures the minerals Nsutite and Cacoxenite in a stunning natural formation. It was noted as an Image of Distinction in the Nikon Small Worlds Photography Competition.

7. An Orchard Cuckoo Bee

Levon Biss, Levon Biss Photography Ltd, Nikon Small Worlds Photography Competition

This image by Levon Biss shows the full body of the Exaerete Frontalis (or Orchid Cuckoo Bee), as displayed in collections from the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. The photo is zoomed 10x, and placed 13th in the Nikon Small Worlds Photography Competition.

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