Marriage of science and art: 'Nikon Small World' showcases photography taken through a microscope

Orange lines and gold squiggles radiate from the dark center of the image like some sort of astral projection.

The vibrant composition actually captures a rodent optic nerve head with its brilliant blend of astrocytes, contractile proteins and retinal vasculature. Hassanain Qambari’s tight shot captured first place in the 2023 49th annual Nikon Small World competition.

“Nikon Small World” is open at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science through Sept. 8. The result is a marriage between science and art.

Marriage of science and art: Nikon Small World showcases photography taken through a microscope

“We’re excited to show off the best photography taken through the microscope this year,” said Anthony Fiorillo, museum executive director.

The rodent cell “looks like something out of science fiction,” said Matt Celeskey, museum curator. “It resembles a wormhole. But it’s something that exists in the natural world. It’s that fantastic voyage perspective.”

Ole Bielfeldt’s photo of a matchstick igniting from the friction of a box reveals the bead-like charred nuggets beneath the flames. The image took second place in the contest.

“You think back to the last time you struck a match,” Celeskey said. “There’s always something magical when that happens.”

Its inviting pink surface centered by a heart, Malgorzata Lisowska’s photo of breast cancer cells is chilling in its beauty.

“You’re sucked in by this innocent-looking image,” Celeskey said. “There’s research purpose that goes on behind a lot of these, too.”

John-Oliver Dum’s close-up of the venomous fangs of a small tarantula is made even more sinister by its red hairs.

“It’s some sort of visceral sense of danger,” Celeskey said.

At the other extreme, the image of a Russian olive leaf by David Maitland resembles a dark sky exploding with fireworks on the Fourth of July.

“Part of it looks like a coral reef or an anemone or something astral,” Celeskey added.

The photograph of slime mold by Timothy Boomer looks like something out of a Salvador Dalí canvas.

“It’s a very alien-looking thing,” Celeskey said.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2024, the Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition was established to recognize excellence in photography through the microscope. It is widely recognized as the leading forum for recognizing the art, proficiency and photographic excellence involved in photomicrography. The museum previously hosted the exhibition during the spring of 2023.

“Nikon Small World” is included with museum admission.