Hidden wonders - these photos of tiny things may have a big impact on you

Science and the arts are often thought of as being on opposite ends of the spectrum. But sometimes the pursuit of scientific knowledge turns up images of extraordinary beauty.

This picture of a juvenile zebrafish was the winner of the 2020 Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition - an annual event that celebrates the technically challenging art of making the invisible visible.

Like many of the entries in the competition, it was taken using cutting-edge imaging techniques, and is far more than just a pretty picture. The image - a composite of 350 individual pictures - was captured by a team led by Daniel Castranova, working in the lab of Dr Brant Weinstein at the National Institutes of Health in Maryland, USA. The intricate orange patterns contrasting with the electric blue reveal a groundbreaking discovery which could have important implications for treating disease in human brains, such as Alzheimer’s.

“The image is beautiful, but also shows how powerful the zebrafish can be as a model for the development of lymphatic vessels,” says Castranova. “Until now, we thought this type of lymphatic system only occurred in mammals. By studying them now, the scientific community can expedite a range of research and clinical innovations – everything from drug trials to cancer treatments. This is because fish are so much easier to raise and image than mammals.”

Mind-blowing

The picture of the zebrafish isn’t the only competition entry that could help scientists better understand the brain. The other-worldly patterns below show the intricate connections between the neurons of newborn mice.

The image - taken by Jason Kirk at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas - is used in research on how different proteins affect the development of connections between brain cells.

Nature’s hidden secrets

Advances in microscopic imaging allow us to see nature in a way that would have been unimaginable to previous generations. The picture below, which won second place in the Small World competition, shows the growth of a clownfish embryo from just hours after fertilization to just before hatching - a process that took nine days.

Using techniques like fluorescent tinting and image stacking, experts in microscopic photography can make the unlikeliest details of the natural world into stunning works of art. The vivid patterns below, that won third place, are in fact the tongue of a freshwater snail.

Similarly, the spores of a fungus that grows in the soil can be as spectacular as any vista of a distant galaxy seen through the Hubble telescope.

From mundane to magnificent

Even the most mundane things that we see every day take on a new splendour when magnified. Below is a single strand of human hair - belonging to the photographer’s daughter.

These crazy neon patterns that look like they belong in a museum of modern art are, in fact, nylon stockings.

All creatures great and small

At a time when biodiversity is under threat across the globe, and insect numbers in particular are declining rapidly, photomicrography can remind us of the beauty and fragility of creatures we too often ignore.

Whether it’s a bogong moth that bears a striking resemblance to a tiger, or an Atlas moth wing as intricate as the finest embroidery, these images prove that size isn’t everything.