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. (Photo by Dr. Igor Robert Siwanowicz/Nikon Small World 2014)

First prize. Taken over Bali Barat National Park, Denpasar, Bali. Made with a GoPro Hero 2 camera. (Photo by Capungaero)

Spectators dressed as leprechauns attend St Patrick's Day parade in Dublin on March 17, 2014. (Photo by Peter Muhly/AFP Photo)

George R.R. Martin, Lena Headey, Sophie Turner, and other cast and crew of Game of Thrones have faced the winds of winter – or anyway, a bucket of ice water – with the popular charity challenge. HBO’s Game of Thrones gives fans chills in every episode. But as the Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS research has exploded across the internet, the cast and crew of the shocking show gave themselves goosebumps as they stepped up to get soaked.

Located at the foot of the Rocky Mountains on the North Saskatchewan River, the rare phenomenon occurs each winter in the man-made lake. Photo: Ice bubbles in Abraham Lake. (Photo by Chip Phillips/Rex Features)

Runners cross the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge shortly after the start of the New York City Marathon in New York, November 2, 2014. (Photo by Lucas Jackson/Reuters)

Actress Zendaya arrives at the 27th Annual Kids' Choice Awards in Los Angeles, California March 29, 2014. (Photo by Danny Moloshok/Reuters)

A model performs on the Toyota FV2 concept car during the 2014 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition at China International Exhibition Center on April 21, 2014 in Beijing, China. More than 2,000 automotive enterprises from 14 countries and regions participated in the 2014 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition from April 20 to April 29. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images)