Nikon Small World 2014

Now celebrating its 40th year, Nikon Small World is widely regarded as the leading forum to recognize proficiency and photographic excellence of photography taken under the microscope. To select the winners, competition judges analyzed entries from all over the world covering subjects ranging from chemical compounds to up-close-and-personal looks at biological specimens.

The 2014 winners will be revealed on October 30th. In 2014, the competition received over 1,200 entries from more than 79 countries around the world.

The competition continues to grow, with international submissions more than doubled over the past few years. Small World is widely regarded as the leading forum for recognizing the art, proficiency and photographic excellence involved in photomicrography. The submissions are evaluated on originality, informational content, technical proficiency and visual impact. (Nikon)

Mr. Swapnil Pandit 
Patil Kolhapur, Maharastra, India 
Plant root (Hidden beauties) 
Portable Field Microscope 
40X
(courtesy of Nikon Small World)

Mr. Evan Darling 
Rochester Institute of Technology 
Rochester, New York, USA 
Rat embryo fluorescently labeled with Rhodamine Epi-fluorescence 
10X

Mr. Charles Krebs
Charles Krebs Photography
Issaquah, Washington, USA
Chrysochroa buqueti (jewel beetle) carapace, near eye
Diffused, Reflected Illumination
450X 
(courtesy of Nikon Small World)

 

Noah Fram-Schwartz 
Greenwich, Connecticut, USA 
Jumping Spider Eyes Reflected Light 
20X
(courtesy of Nikon Small World)

 

Mr. José R. Almodóvar 
Biology Department, University of Puerto Rico, Maya guez Campus 
Mayaguez, Puerto Rico 
Mite in a small forest Image Stacking 
10X
(courtesy of Nikon Small World)

Dr. Douglas Brumley Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA Active fluid flow around P. damicornis (coral polyp) Fluorescence, Autofluorescence 4X

(courtesy of Nikon Small World)

Dr. Justin Joseph 
Cassidy Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University 
Chicago, Illinois, USA 
Salivary gland cells from a fruit fly showing cell
boundaries (white) and genomic DNA (red)  
Transmitted Light 
6X
(courtesy of Nikon Small World)

Dr. Chris Henstridge 
MTA-KOKI 
Budapest, Hungary 
Golden Glia Immunofluorescence 
20X
(courtesy of Nikon Small World)

 

Dr. Chris Henstridge 
MTA-KOKI 
Budapest, Hungary 
Golden Glia Immunofluorescence 
20X
(courtesy of Nikon Small World)

Dr. Muthugapatti K. Kandasamy Biomedical Microscopy Core, University of Georgia Athens, Georgia, USA Bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells stained f or actin (pink), mitochondria (green) and DNA (yellow) Super Resolution Microscopy 0X
(courtesy of Nikon Small World)

Dr. Sabrina Kaul University of Vienna Vienna, Austria Larval stage of the acorn worm Balanoglossus misaki ensis, dorsal view, showing cell borders, muscles and apical eye spots Confocal 10X
(courtesy of Nikon Small World) 

Dr. Philipp Keller 
Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) 
Ashburn, Virginia, USA 
Live zebrafish embryo at 22 hours post-fertilization SiMView Light-Sheet Microscopy 
0X
(courtesy of Nikon Small World)

Ms. Zsófia László
Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian 
Acade my of Sciences Budapest, Hungary 
Developing mouse embryo eye Immunofluorescence 
20X
(courtesy of Nikon Small World

Mr. Rogelio Moreno 
Panama, Panama 
Rotifer showing the mouth interior and heart shaped corona 
Differential Interference Contrast 40X
(courtesy of Nikon Small World)

Servei de Microscòpia, Universitat Autònoma
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) ovary fixed and stai
ned to show lectins (red) and nuclei (blue)
Confocal laser scanning microscopy
63X 
(courtesy of Nikon Small World)

Mr. Steven Wilbert
Confocal Microscopy Lab, Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester, New York, USA
Young Starfish Confocal
5X
(courtesy of Nikon Small World)

Mr. Steven Wilbert 
Confocal Microscopy Lab, Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, New York, USA 
Hydra and Volvox Confocal 
10X
(courtesy of Nikon Small World)

 

Mrs. Andrea Wurzinger-Mayer 
Department of Integrative Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna 
Vienna, Austria 
Shipworm Lyrodus pedicellatus, a wood-boring mussel (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Teredinidae). Larval musculature. 
Confocal laserscanning microscope 
20X
(courtesy of Nikon Small World)

Dr. Michael John Bridge 
HSC Core Facilities-Cell Imaging Core, 
University of Utah School of Medicine Salt Lake City, Utah, USA "Rising Sun" 
(Cultured embryonic chicken dorsal root ganglia neuron explant) Confocal 40X
(courtesy of Nikon Small World)

 

Dr. Michael John Bridge 
HSC Core Facilities-Cell Imaging Core, University of Utah School of Medicine 
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA 
"Random Connection" (Cultured embryonic chicken dor sal root ganglia neuron explant) 
Confocal 60X
(courtesy of Nikon Small World)

 

Mr. Charles Krebs 
Charles Krebs Photography Issaquah, Washington, USA 
Chrysochroa buqueti (jewel beetle) carapace, near eye 
Diffused, Reflected Illumination 
45X
(courtesy of Nikon Small World

Mr. Chao Zhang 
National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences 
Beijing, China 
Magnesium chloride and potassium alum mixture 
Polarized Light 
25X
(courtesy of Nikon Small World

Mr. Michael Peres 
Rochester Institute of Technology 
Rochester, New York, USA 
Brightfield 
8X
(courtesy of Nikon Small World)

Dr. Jerzy Gubernator 
Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw
Wroclaw, Poland 
Tradescantia zebrina (wandering jew) leaf stomata 
Brightfield, Epi Ilumination, Image Stacking 
40X
(courtesy of Nikon Small World)

                                                                       

Climb if you dare: World's scariest stairways

Sometimes the only way to get to where we are going, or to enjoy the most spectacular view, is to climb a staircase. Some of the trails are steep, precarious and downright scary but the view is almost always worth it.

Sometimes the only way to get where we are going, or to enjoy the most spectacular view, we have to climb a staircase or two. Some of the trails are steep, precarious and downright scary but the destination is almost always worth it. Watch your step as we explore the scariest stairways we could find around the world

Haiku Stairs, Oahu, Hawaii These spectacular staircases offer some of the world's most breathtaking views—and heart-stopping thrills as they are not for the faint of heart. The stairs are actually part of a "forbidden" trail and not legally open to the public but this doesn’t stop intrepid hikers.

 

Pailon del Diablo Waterfall, Ecuador Translated to English, the name means the “Devil’s Cauldron” so it is no wonder that these steep steps, slick with water from the adjacent waterfall make this list. The stairs themselves are made of smooth oversize pebbles with very little traction so visitors need to hold on tight.

 

Half Dome, Cable Route, California As one of the most iconic peaks in the Yosemite Valley, Half Dome begs to be conquered, but to make it to the top, you have to ascend a cable ladder for more than 400 vertical feet. Only 300 people per day are allowed (via permit) to climb so you will want to make it count.

 

Mount Huashan Heavenly Stairs, China With an unknown number of stairs on this ascent (presumably because everyone has always lost count), this is no small feat. After you manage the stairs, you then face a horizontal stretch along three-plank-wide walkway with only a chain to hold onto, flush against the wall of flat rock.

 

Inca Stairs, Peru It may be the site one of the most popular hikes in the world but that doesn’t make the granite rocks of the Inca Stairs any less scary. Located at Machu Picchu, the 200 metres of steep steps climb to the rarely visited Moon Temple. The park limits the climb to the first 400 visitors each morning and has added some metallic chains in the worst parts, so hold on because on one side is a sheer, damp wall and on the other, a straight drop into the Urubamba river

 

Batu Caves, Malaysia Just outside of Kuala Lumpur, these 272 steps lead up to Temple Cave, a Hindu holy site. Aside from the challenge of the steps themselves, you will have to battle greedy macaque monkeys who will harass you for food if you are carrying any (better not to feed them)

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, Spain There are some spectacular views atop this rocky island but to get there, you must cross a narrow stone bridge and climb 231 stone steps. At the end of your trek, you will find a Romanesque chapel that is said to have been used as a fortress by the Templars in the 14th century.

 

Angkor Wat, Cambodia The uppermost temples at Angkor Wat are almost 70 per cent inclined and some of them have ropes provided to help you haul yourself to the top. It is said that the stairs were made so steep to remind people that heaven is hard to reach.

 

Taihang Mountains, China All potential climbers of the 100m winding staircase have to sign a form stating that they have no heart or lung problems and are under 60 years of age – a telltale sign that these stairs are definitely on the scary side.

 

Sagrada Familia, Barcelona While beautiful from the outside, Gaudi’s unfinished cathredral features a tightly-wound spiral staircase inside that has no railing. There are signs advising against climbing the stairs if you have respiratory or cardiac problems.

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Milky Way shuts down star formation in dwarf galaxies

Washington, Oct 16 (IANS) Astronomers have discovered that our nearest galactic neighbours, the spheroidal dwarf galaxies, are devoid of star-forming gas and the Milky Way Galaxy is to blame for it.

Using the US National Science Foundation's Green Bank Telescope (GBT) in West Virginia, along with data from other large radio telescopes, new observations reveal that within a well-defined boundary around our galaxy, dwarf galaxies are completely devoid of hydrogen gas.

Beyond this point, dwarf galaxies are teeming with star-forming material.

"Astronomers wondered if, after billions of years of interaction, the nearby dwarf spheroidal galaxies have all the same star-forming 'stuff' that we find in more distant dwarf galaxies," said astronomer Kristine Spekkens, assistant professor at the Royal Military College of Canada.

Spekkens and her team probed the dwarf galaxies that have been swarming around the Milky Way for billions of years for tiny amounts of atomic hydrogen.

"What we found is that there is a clear break, a point near our home galaxy where dwarf galaxies are completely devoid of any traces of neutral atomic hydrogen," Spekkens said.

Beyond this point, which extends approximately 1,000 light-years from the edge of the Milky Way's star-filled disk to a point that is thought to coincide with the edge of its dark matter distribution, dwarf spheroidals become vanishingly rare while their gas-rich counterparts flourish.

"The Milky Way thus shuts down star formation in its smallest neighbours," the astronomers added.

The Milky Way galaxy is the largest member of a compact clutch of galaxies that are bound together by gravity.

Swarming around our home galaxy is a menagerie of smaller dwarf galaxies, the smallest of which are the relatively nearby dwarf spheroidals, which may be the leftover building blocks of galaxy formation.

The paper appeared in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Large mosaic in ancient tomb uncovered in Greece

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Archaeologists digging through a vast ancient tomb in Amphipolis in northern Greece have uncovered a floor mosaic that covers the whole area of a room seen as the antechamber to the main burial ground.

The mosaic, 3 meters (10 feet) long and 4.5 meters (15 feet) wide, depicts a horseman with a laurel wreath driving a chariot drawn by two horses and preceded by the god Hermes. According to a Culture Ministry announcement on Sunday, Hermes is depicted here as the conductor of souls to the afterlife.

The mosaic is made up of pebbles in many colors: white, black, gray, blue, red and yellow. A circular part, near the center of the mosaic, is missing, but authorities say enough fragments have been found to reconstruct a large part.

The ministry says that archaeologists have dated the mosaic to the last quarter of 4th century B.C. (325-300 B.C.), consistent with their belief the grave contains the remains of a contemporary of Alexander the Great, the ancient Greek King of Macedonia, who conquered the Persian Empire and reached present-day India, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan in a whirlwind campaign, from 334 to 323 B.C. The grave may be that of a relative or general of Alexander's, archaeologists have speculated.

Alexander himself, who died in Babylon in present-day Iraq at age 32, in 323 B.C., is believed to have been buried in Egypt. But his tomb hasn't been found.

12 Home Library Ideas That Are Top Shelf

If you're a bibliophile, chances are you have more books than you know what to do with. Don't let your good reads waste away in a cardboard box. Instead, put them on display in your very own home library. Creating a space for books can be troublesome, especially if you're unfamiliar with styling bookshelves. We have 12 ways to create a library at home - you'll never want to leave the house again.

Pair bookshelves with your workspace. Creating a library where you put your desk gives you a nearby place to sit when grabbing a book to read. Source: Style Me Pretty

 

Add inviting seating in front of shelving to section off your library area. It also makes a large space look cozier. Source: William Waldron via Elle Decor

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Dedicate an entire room to your books - aren't they worth it? Stepping inside a room filled with books wall-to-wall will feel inviting. Photo by Matthew Williams via Style Me Pretty

 

Do you have limited space? Create your own minilibrary with a few shelves placed superhigh. Starting at the ceiling is a big space saver. Photo by Annawithlove via Style Me Pretty

 

Paint shelving a jewel-tone color like this sapphire shade to highlight the library area. It will put all the attention on your novels.

 

Sometimes plain, simple bookshelves can be a total bore. Choose unconventional shelving for your library space to keep it interesting. Photo by Bryce Covey Photography via Style Me Pretty

 

Put your library in an accessible area so you will actually use it. This collection of books was put near the eating area. Who doesn't love eating breakfast with a good read? Source: Lucas Allen via Domino

 

A library definitely shouldn't be boring. This orchid hue covers the entire room so that the space is the highlight of the house.

If you have an empty corner, it's an ideal space to create a library. The angled area makes the shelves feel like they have their own special section. Photo by Katie Parra via Style Me Pretty

 

When struggling to find the right place to create your library, a great option is your living room. Put bookshelves behind your couch if you don't have lots of space.

 

Looking for a conversation starter at the dinner table? A dining room filled with books will probably do the trick.

If you have a nook or window seat, install shelving into the sides of the inset area. Now you've got yourself a built-in reading area. Photo by Cheryl M. Photography via Style Me Pretty

Ten foods to make you smarter

There really is such a thing as brain food. Here's a roundup of the top ten foods that will give you an intelligence boost when you next need it.

While many try and avoid these for cholesterol reasons, egg yolk actually contains a nutrient called choline which can enhance your memory. Try and fit up to two eggs in your diet, three to four times a week. These Lamb sausage and basil egg muffins are packed full of protein.

Kelp has been gaining popularity in the Northern Hemisphere and it's easy to see why. While some people aren't huge fans of the taste, kelp is high in magnesium, calcium and iodine. Iodine helps with normal growth and development of the brain and body.

Sage is another memory enhancer. Recent studies show that adding sage oil to your diet can improve memory performance. For a super brain food hit, try making these Baked butterflied Australian sardines with Parmesan sage crust.

According to researchers, eating foods high in antioxidants can help delay brain aging since they help combat free radical damage. Antioxidants in brightly coloured fruits and vegetables like blueberries and avocados may help keep our brain in firing form by protecting it from oxidative damage, according to researchers.

Fish with high levels of fatty acids like tuna, mackerel, salmon, trout and sardines are very good for you. They contain high levels of the fatty acids EPA and DHA. The EPA helps prevent blood clotting and the DHA is considered a vital nutrient to enhance learning ability and mental development. Try this delicious Miso salmon recipe.

If you needed another excuse for that second coffee, this may be it. Research shows coffee improves memory and speeds up reaction times. If you're a lifelong coffee drinker you're also in luck because research has shown it can lead to a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease. GALLERY: Learn how to make perfect cafe coffee at home.

Cacao, or pure chocolate, is full of antioxidants. Research shows that the combination of exercise and a diet high in epicatechin, a coumpound found in cacao, promotes learning and memory. These Raw cacao energy balls are deliciously healthy – the only problem is stopping at one!

 

The fatty acids in walnuts are critical for brain and nervous system performance. The brain needs lots of fatty acids for optimum function and cognition. This tasty Wild rice and walnut salad is a great accompaniment to any dish.

 

According to health professionals, the number one cause of memory loss, at any age, is dehydration. Make sure you make time to drink water during the day and you'll improve your brain function just like that.

 

Complex carbohydrates like wholegrain breads, oats, brown rice, legumes, fruits and vegetables provide a slow release of glucose to the brain. Glucose is used to fuel the brain cells that are responsible for concentration, memory and learning. This Eggy bread by Jamie Oliver is the perfect breakfast to get your brain cranking!