Microscopic photos show the hidden beauty of an invisible world

We know that wildlife photos of large mammals and wide open vistas can be breathtaking, but you know what doesn't get enough of a look in?

Close-up shots. As in microscopic, invisible-to-the-naked-eye kind of shots.

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Enter the Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition, which celebrates images taken using microscopes and has today announced the winning photos for its 2020 contest. It comes weeks after announcing the winners of the video competition, which are equally stunning.

SEE ALSO: Two droplets coalesced in a microscopic video. The impact could be huge for the future of sustainable living.

From orange microtubules inside a cell to the colourful tongue of a freshwater snail, and in no particular order, here are the top 20...

Hebe plant anther with pollen. Credit: Dr. Robert Markus & Zsuzsa Markus Leaf roller weevil (Byctiscus betulae) lateral view. Credit: Özgür Kerem Bulur Microtubules (orange) inside a cell. Nucleus is shown in cyan. Credit: Jason Kirk Connections between hippocampal neurons (brain cells). Credit: Jason Kirk & Quynh Nguyen Crystals formed after heating an ethanol and water solution containing L-glutamine and beta-alanine. Credit: Justin Zoll Atlas moth wing. Credit: Chris Perani Daphnia magna (Phyllopoda). Credit: Ahmad Fauzan Bogong moth. Credit: Ahmad Fauzan Multi-nucleate spores and hyphae of a soil fungus (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus). Credit: Dr. Vasileios Kokkoris, Dr. Franck Stefani & Dr. Nicolas Corradi Tongue (radula) of a freshwater snail. Credit: Dr. Igor Siwanowicz Nylon stockings. Credit: Alexander Klepnev Human hair. Credit: Robert Vierthaler Chameleon embryo (autofluorescence). Credit: Dr. Allan Carrillo-Baltodano & David Salamanca Dorsal view of bones and scales (blue) and lymphatic vessels (orange) in a juvenile zebrafish. Credit: Daniel Castranova, Dr. Brant Weinstein & Bakary Samasa Red algae. Credit: Dr. Tagide deCarvalho Ventral view of an immature water boatman. Credit: Anne Algar Silica cell wall of the marine diatom Arachnoidiscus sp. Credit: Dr. Jan Michels Embryonic development of a clownfish (Amphiprion percula) on days 1, 3 (morning and evening), 5, and 9 Credit: Daniel Knop Chain of daughter individuals from the asexually reproducing annelid species Chaetogaster diaphanus. Credit: Dr. Eduardo Zattara & Dr. Alexa Bely Skeleton preparation of a short-tailed fruit bat embryo (Carollia perspicillata). Credit: Dr. Dorit Hockman & Dr. Vanessa Chong-Morrison