For 13 years, Nikon’s Small World in Motion has celebrated the most alluring footage captured through a microscope that spotlights a range of biological processes, from viral infections to blood flow. The 2023 competition garnered nearly 400 entries from photographers and researchers in 41 countries with Dr. Alexandre Dumoulin winning the top prize for his 48-hour timelapse of neurons developing in a chick embryo.

Featuring colorful beams of light streaming across the frame, the video magnifies axons, which connect neurons, as they “traverse the nervous system before eventually forming synapses.” In neurological disorders like autism and schizophrenia, axons are impaired and unable to move in the way shown in Dumoulin’s timelapse. “By studying these organisms, I aim to enhance our comprehension of how the nervous system functions and identify potential factors contributing to neurodevelopmental disorders,” he says.

Find a few of this year’s videos below, and head to Nikon to peruse an archive of winners past and present.

Dr. Alexandre Dumoulin, a 48-hour time-lapse of developing neurons connecting the opposite side of the central nervous system in a chick embryo

Benedikt Pleyer, hydra

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article Stunning Footage of Neurons Forming Inside a Chick Embryo Wins Nikon’s Small World in Motion appeared first on Colossal.

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