Winner of top photomicrography prize is ...

Updated 2:02 PM ET, Wed October 19, 2016

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<strong>1st Place:</strong> <strong>Dr. Oscar Ruiz</strong> -- A photo of a four-day-old zebrafish embryo claimed top honors in the annual Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition. Image produced at the University of Texas' Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.

Photos: Winner of top photomicrography prize is ...

1st Place: Dr. Oscar Ruiz -- A photo of a four-day-old zebrafish embryo claimed top honors in the annual Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition. Image produced at the University of Texas' Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.

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<strong>2nd Place:</strong> <strong>Douglas L. Moore -- </strong>This polished slab of Teepee Canyon agate scooped the coveted second spot in this year's awards. The image was captured by Moore at the<strong> </strong>University of Wisconsin at the Stevens Point Museum of Natural History in Wisconsin, US. <br />

Photos: Winner of top photomicrography prize is ...

2nd Place: Douglas L. Moore -- This polished slab of Teepee Canyon agate scooped the coveted second spot in this year's awards. The image was captured by Moore at the University of Wisconsin at the Stevens Point Museum of Natural History in Wisconsin, US.

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<strong>3rd Place:</strong> <strong>Rebecca Nutbrown -- </strong>A culture of neurons (stained green) derived from human skin cells, and Schwann cells, a second type of brain cell (stained red). Photo taken at the University of Oxford, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences in Oxford, United Kingdom. <br />

Photos: Winner of top photomicrography prize is ...

3rd Place: Rebecca Nutbrown -- A culture of neurons (stained green) derived from human skin cells, and Schwann cells, a second type of brain cell (stained red). Photo taken at the University of Oxford, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences in Oxford, United Kingdom.

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<strong>4th Place:</strong> <strong>Jochen Schroeder -- </strong>Captured in Chiang Mai, Thailand, this photo uses an image stacking technique to bring a butterfly proboscis' into vivid focus.<br />

Photos: Winner of top photomicrography prize is ...

4th Place: Jochen Schroeder -- Captured in Chiang Mai, Thailand, this photo uses an image stacking technique to bring a butterfly proboscis' into vivid focus.

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<strong>5th Place:</strong> <strong>Dr. Igor Siwanowicz -- </strong>No stranger to the Nikon Small World contest, Igor Siwanowicz -- who took third place in 2015 -- has been recognized again this year for a photo of a front foot (tarsus) of a male diving beetle. The photo was taken at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus in Ashburn, Virginia, US.

Photos: Winner of top photomicrography prize is ...

5th Place: Dr. Igor Siwanowicz -- No stranger to the Nikon Small World contest, Igor Siwanowicz -- who took third place in 2015 -- has been recognized again this year for a photo of a front foot (tarsus) of a male diving beetle. The photo was taken at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus in Ashburn, Virginia, US.

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<strong>6th Place:</strong> <strong>Marek Mis -- </strong>Another regular prize winner in the Nixon Small World contest, Marek Mis nabbed the sixth spot for this photo of air bubbles formed from melted ascorbic acid crystals. It was captured using a polarized light technique in the town of Suwalki in Poland. <br />

Photos: Winner of top photomicrography prize is ...

6th Place: Marek Mis -- Another regular prize winner in the Nixon Small World contest, Marek Mis nabbed the sixth spot for this photo of air bubbles formed from melted ascorbic acid crystals. It was captured using a polarized light technique in the town of Suwalki in Poland.

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<strong>7th Place:</strong> <strong>Dr. David Maitland --</strong> Improving upon last year's showing -- when he was awarded 17th place -- David Maitland, a nature photographer, took this image of leaves of selaginella (lesser club moss) in Feltwell, United Kingdom.<br />

Photos: Winner of top photomicrography prize is ...

7th Place: Dr. David Maitland -- Improving upon last year's showing -- when he was awarded 17th place -- David Maitland, a nature photographer, took this image of leaves of selaginella (lesser club moss) in Feltwell, United Kingdom.

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<strong>8th Place:</strong> <strong>Samuel Silberman </strong>-- A photo of wildflower stamens captured in Monoson Yahud, Israel. <br />

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8th Place: Samuel Silberman -- A photo of wildflower stamens captured in Monoson Yahud, Israel.

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<strong>9th Place:</strong> <strong>Vin Kitayama and Sanae Kitayama </strong>-- This electric image is actually a microscopic snap of espresso coffee crystals taken at the Vinsanchi Art Museum in Azumino, Japan.

Photos: Winner of top photomicrography prize is ...

9th Place: Vin Kitayama and Sanae Kitayama -- This electric image is actually a microscopic snap of espresso coffee crystals taken at the Vinsanchi Art Museum in Azumino, Japan.

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<strong>10th Place: Rogelio Moreno Gill </strong>-- A photo of frontonia (showing ingested food, cilia, mouth and trichocysts) taken in Panama. Gill used differential interference contrast to capture the 200x image.<br />

Photos: Winner of top photomicrography prize is ...

10th Place: Rogelio Moreno Gill -- A photo of frontonia (showing ingested food, cilia, mouth and trichocysts) taken in Panama. Gill used differential interference contrast to capture the 200x image.

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