Microscopic beauty: Prize-winning photos

4th place: "Drosophila melanogaster visual system halfway through pupal development, showing retina (gold), photoreceptor axons (blue), and brain (green)(1500x)"

The Nikon International Small World photography contest shines a light on the very small. For decades, the contest has showcased the beauty of photomicrography -- photographs taken through a microscope. Out of 2,000 submissions, the contest chose twenty standouts to honor.

Credit: W. Ryan Williamson/Nikon Small World