Nikon’s annual Small World In Motion contest, which invites filmmakers and time-lapse photographers globally to capture magnified subjects, has announced its results. The top prize went to a 100-times-magnified video depicting the movement of cilia, the tiny hair-like structures found in the airways of a pediatric patient with a rare genetic disorder.
The winning entry was submitted by Dr Ning Xu, a researcher affiliated with Tsinghua University in China. Dr Xu utilized an intricate arrangement of light waves to illuminate various sections of the biological sample, resulting in a vividly colored visual presentation.
Runners-up in the competition featured a roundworm interacting with a single-celled organism, as well as microscopic jellyfish larvae suspended within water droplets. Clips showcasing bioluminescent algae and a small sea slug also received highly commended status.
Another Nikon contest? Fine. But let’s be honest, this is mostly just pretty colors for scientists to look at, right?
Wait, Dr. Ning Xu studied a child with a rare genetic disorder? I wonder what the medical implications of this video are.
That jellyfish larva clip is stunning. Microscopic life is often more beautiful and complex than we realize. Great competition.
I had no idea cilia moved like that! It looks like a wave of red grass. Truly mesmerizing to watch.