NIKON SMALL WORLD 2018Since their inception in the 1500s, microscopes have become an invaluable tool

NIKON SMALL WORLD 2018Since their inception in the 1500s, microscopes have become an invaluable tool in discovering the micro- and nano-world and their influences in nature. Previously the existence of various microbes, bacteria and plankton were unknown to us, whereas today we recognize their roles in our everyday lives and understand that we would not exist without these seemingly insignificant organisms.Every year Nikon celebrates the world’s highly skilled microscopists in the NIKON SMALL WORLD competition. Advances in technology and the unwavering curiosity of researchers and microscope enthusiasts, has made for some delightful, eye-opening and compelling photomicrography over the years. This year’s winners are:Yousef Al Habshi from the UAE for “Eye of a Metapocyrtus subquadrulifer beetle”Seen at a magnification of 20 x, Yousef managed to capture the iridescent scales around the compound eye of this Philippine weevil. He stacked 129 images to produce the detail and clarity seen in this image. The contrast of the scales on the dark carapace of the beetle makes this image particularly eye-catching. This species of Philippine weevil is an agricultural pest.Rogelio Moreno from Panama for “Fern sorus (structures producing and containing spores)”Multiple sporangia (spore houses) at different stages of development are seen in this colourful autofluorescence micrograph taken at 10 x magnification. Cells of the leaf surface appear red because chlorophyll fluoresces red under ultraviolet light. Stomata are also visible among the bright red cells. These are the little openings or slits that allow air into and out of the fern.Saulius Gugis from the USA for “Spittlebug nymph in its bubble house”Saulis captured this spectacular image using a 5 x objective lens and focus stacking. Where I’m from (Durban, South Africa), these bugs are nuisances to anyone walking under the trees they inhabit. They secrete a foamy substance, similar in appearance to spittle (hence the name) that falls continuously from their perches in trees. The secretions are produced mainly by the larval and nymph stages of the bug to protect against environmental temperature changes as well as to keep their bodies moist.KR.References and Further Reading:https://www.nikonsmallworld.com/https://bit.ly/2CHdexAhttps://africageographic.com/blog/trees-that-spit-on-you/Images: https://www.nikonsmallworld.com/ -- source link

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