Video microscopy wins major award

The 16th annual Nikon Small World in Motion competition celebrates microvideography as both an art form and a vital scientific tool for medical research.

Motion reveals what photos cannot

Dr Ning Xu's winning entry shows abnormal cilia beating in a child with Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia. Still images cannot capture the dozens of beat cycles needed to understand the disease.

“To understand this disease, you need to watch the cilia through dozens of beat cycles, not just a still image”

Keeping samples alive during filming

Dr Xu faced a critical challenge: the sample could die or change behavior under typical microscopy lighting. He shaped light using light waves and a digital micromirror to protect the living cells.

Advanced magnification captures detail

Dr Xu used diffractive super-resolution microscopy to achieve 100x objective lens magnification, revealing the intricate beating patterns of the abnormal cilia.

Runner-up entries showcase diversity

Vietnam's Nguyen Nam Nhat captured a roundworm with a single-celled Dileptus at 40x magnification, while Germany's Benedikt Pleyer filmed jellyfish larvae suspended in water droplets at 25x magnification.

Fifty years of microscopy excellence

Nikon Small World has celebrated microscopy for over 50 years, with the video competition now in its 16th year. Expert judges evaluate all entries.