News
Nanotechnology Makes a Small World Even Smaller
Oct 6, 2004
Nikon 2004 Gallery of World's Best Photomicrographs Debuts in Times Square; Museum Tour Launches in January
The winning image of the 30th Annual Nikon International Small World Competition represents a range of new possibilities using nanotechnolgy to transform our physical world in ways never before imagined. Out of 1,200 images submitted from around the globe, only twenty were selected for this year's Small World Photomicrography exhibit. These winners will be recognized tonight at a twilight reception held at Good Morning America's Studios in New York's Times Square, where Nikon will debut the complete gallery of winning photos set to tour science and art museums across the nation beginning January 1, 2005.
The top three images include Mr. Seth Coe-Sullivan's image, a spiderwort flower anther and immature pollen by Dr. Shirley Owens, of the Michigan State University Center for Advanced Microcopy, and an image of differentiating neuronal cells by Dr. Torsten Wittmann of The Scripps Research Institute of Cell Biology,
"This year's 30th Anniversary of Small World recognizes the world's best photomicrographers who make critically important scientific contributions to life sciences, bio-research and materials science. These winners stand on the cusp of a revolution in imaging technology that enable scientific professionals to deepen their research and share their results faster with other scientific professionals who, in turn, build upon their accomplishments. We are all beneficiaries of their scientific insights and artistic perceptions," said Lee Shuett, executive vice president, Nikon Instruments. "The photomicrographs featured in the gallery of art demonstrate scientific
curiosity blended with extraordinary artistic sensibility."
Nikon Instruments also announced today that it will kick off its Small World museum tour throughout the US in January. "The Nikon Small World Exhibit attracts thousands of people of all ages fascinated by these uniquely moving images," said Eric Flem, communications manager, Nikon Instruments. "These photos allow us to share in the special moments of discovery that spark scientific curiosity, and can serve as inspiration to aspiring young scientists."
The Nikon Small World 2004 distinguished panel of judges included Michael Davidson, of Florida State University, Michael Peres, Ph.D., of the Rochester Institute of Technology, Bonnie Stutski, photo editor of Smithsonian Magazine, Ellis Rubenstein, president of the New York Academy of Sciences, and Ted Salmon, Ph.D., of the University of North Carolina.
ABOUT THE 2004 NIKON SMALL WORLD PHOTOMICROGRAPHY COMPETITION
Now in its 30th year, the Small World contest was founded in 1974 to recognize excellence in photography through the microscope. Each year, Nikon makes the winning images accessible to the public through the Nikon Small World calendar, a national museum tour, and an electronic gallery featured at http://www.nikonsmallworld.com/. The competition's reputation has grown over the years and is regarded as the leading forum for recognizing beauty and complexity as seen through the microscope. The Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition is open to anyone with an interest in photomicrography. Participants may access entry forms and submit their images in traditional 35mm format, or upload digital images directly at MicroscopyU on the Nikon Web site (http://www.nikonusa.com/). For additional information, contact Nikon Small World, Nikon Instruments Inc., 1300 Walt Whitman Road, Melville, NY 11747, USA or phone (631) 547-8569.
THE OFFICIAL 2004 NIKON SMALL WORLD WINNERS
The 2004 gallery of winning images can be viewed at http://www.nikonsmallworld.com/.
1st Prize
Mr. Seth Coe-Sullivan
MIT Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences
Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
Quantum dot nanocrystals deposited on a silicon substrate (200x)
Polarized reflected light
2nd Prize
Dr. Shirley Owens
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Mi
Tradescantia virginiana (spiderwort flower) anther and immature pollen
Confocal (laser)
3rd Prize
Dr. Torsten Wittmann
The Scripps Research Institute
La Jolla, California, USA
Differentiating neuronal cells (actin, microtubules and DNA) (1000x)
Fluorescence
4th Prize
Mr. Chales Kazilek
The Paper Project / W.M. Keck Bioimaging Laboratory
Arizona State University
Tempe, Arizona, USA
Australian plant fibers (Juncus sp.) from mold-made paper (100x)
Confocal (3-laser)
5th Prize
Mr. Francois Paquet-Durand
Institute of Physiology and Cell Biology
Hannover School of Veterinary Medicine
Hannover, Germany
Differentiated human NT-2 neuronal cells, 6 weeks old (40x)
Confocal (laser)
6th Prize
Mr. Charles Krebs
Charles Krebs Photography
Issaquah, Washington, USA
Thorax, head and eye section of Chrysochroa fulminans (a metallic beetle)
(6.25x)
Reflected light
7th Prize
Mrs. Tora Bardal
Department of Biology
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
Trondheim, Norway
Turbot larvae, 25 days old (6x)
Brightfield
8th Prize
Mr. Alan Opsahl
Pfizer
Groton, Connecticut, USA
Rat epididymis (part of the male reproductive system) (100x)
Brightfield
9th Prize
Mr. Edy Kieser
Ennenda, Switzerland
Crystallized acetaminophen and ascorbic acid (40x)
Polarized light
10th Prize
Mr. Wim van Egmond
Micropolitan Museum
Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Brittle Star Larva, living specimen (100x)
Differential interference contrast
11th Prize
Mr. Edy Kieser
Ennenda, Switzerland
Crystallized glycine, tartaric acid and resorcinol (40x)
Polarized light
12th Prize
Mr. Christian Gautier
BIOS/PHONE Photo Agency
Paris, France
Scolex (head) of Cysticercus psiformis (tapeworm) (100x)
Polarized light
13th Prize
Dr. Tsutomu Seimiya
Department of Chemistry
Tokyo Metropolitan University
Tokyo, Japan
Interference image of a microscopic flow-pattern in draining soap film
(15x)
Simple microscope
14th Prize
Mr. Robert Markus
Biological Research Center / Institute of Genetics
Hungarian Academy of Sciences
Szeged, Hungary
Taraxacum sp. (dandelion) stigma with pollen (100x)
Fluorescence
15th Prize
Mr. Wim van Egmond
Micropolitan Museum
Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Micrasterias rotata (a desmid) undergoing cell division (200x)
Darkfield
16th Prize
Mr. Ruben Sandoval
Indiana Center for Biological Microscopy
Indiana University School of Medicine
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Superficial kidney glomerulus of a living Munic Wistar rat (60x)
Confocal (2-Photon)
17th Prize
Dr. Amy Brock
Children's Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Human microvascular endothelial cell (60x)
Fluorescence
18th Prize
Dr. Jennifer Waters Shuler and Adrian Salic
Department of Cell Biology
Harvard Medical School
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Mitotic human cells (microtubules, kinetochores, and DNA) (1000x)
Confocal (spinning disk)
19th Prize
Mr. Pedro Barrios
National Research Council of Canada (NRC)
Ottawa, Canada
Planarization of patterned silicon-nitride-coated silicon-substrate
(200x)
Reflected light / differential interference contrast
20th Prize
Mr. Albert Tousson
Department of Cell Biology
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama, USA
Cultured baby hamster kidney cells (1500x)
Fluorescence
THE OFFICIAL 2003 NIKON SMALL WORLD PHOTOMICROGRAPHY HONORABLE MENTIONS
Mr. Dylan Burnette
New Haven, Connecticut, USA
Filamentous actin and microtubules in the growth cone of a bag cell
neuron (800x)
Fluorescence
Dr. Kuruganti Murti
Memphis, Tennessee, USA
Dried antibody precipitate (1000x)
Confocal (laser)
Dr. Chris Guthrie
Seattle, Washington, USA
Paraformaldehyde-fixed human embryonic kidney cells (3113x)
Fluorescence
Mr. Rene van Wezel
Aylesford, UK
Epidermal peel from an oat leaf (100x)
Phase contrast with Rheinberg filters
Mr. Donald Pottle
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Endothelial cell culture (microtubules and nuclei) (400x)
Fluorescence
Mr. Samuel Lawrence
Kempton, Pennsylvania, USA
Polished cross section of a bamboo fly fishing rod (200x)
Differential interference contrast
Dr. Edward Lein
San Diego, California, USA
Coronal sections of a 10 week old mouse brain (2x)
Darkfield
Mr. Ian Walker
Huddersfield, UK
Silkworm trachea (40x)
Darkfield / Rheinberg
Dr. Monica Pons
Barcelona, Spain
Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) embryo (20x)
Confocal (laser)
Dr. Jaromir Plasek
Prague, Czech Republic
Wing of a Lasius niger queen (garden ant) (20x)
Fluorescence
Dr. John Hart
Boulder, Colorado, USA
Resorcinal and methylene blue
Polarized light
Dr. John Hart
Boulder, Colorado, USA
Crystallized resorcinal and carbon tetrabromide (33x)
Polarized light
Dr. Ales Kladnik
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Flies caught on a Drosera leaf (carnivorous sundew plant) (30x)
Reflected light
Dr. Marna Ericson
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Ixodes scapularis (deer tick) hypostome attached to the ear of a hamster
(200x)
Confocal (laser)
Dr. Alison J. North and Dr. Ignacio Munoz-sanjuan and Dr. Ali H.
Brivanlou
New York, New York, USA
Nervous system of a live Xenopus tadpole (10x)
Confocal (laser)