Most people know Nikon as a purveyor of pro and consumer-grade digital cameras. But the company's expertise with optics bleeds over into related markets – it's one of the science community's major suppliers of microscopes. And each year the company asks the community to send it some of their favorite images of tiny objects. A panel of scientists and journalists have chosen the best of this past year's submissions, which Nikon has placed on its Small World site.

Photo: Honorable Mention. “Snow crystal, illuminated with colored lights (5x)”. (Photo by Dr. Kenneth Libbrecht, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Department of Physics, Pasadena, California, USA)

“Not for the faint of heart”. Casa Milà, better known as La Pedrera, is a building designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí and built during the years 1905–1910, being considered officially completed in 1912. It is located at 92, Passeig de Gràcia in the Eixample district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. (Photo by Stefano Scarselli)

“The Skeleton Krewe was founded in 1999 by Christopher Kirsch. Inspired by the early days of Carnival before tractors and floats replaced walking processions, the Krewe has become one of New Orleans' premier marching clubs. The Krewe began actively marching as a small group of friends, but has grown to 40 active members”. – The Skeleton Krewe. Photo: “The Skeleton Krewe 2013 – Manning”. (Photo by Kevin O'Mara)

A wounded member of the Afghan police reaction force waits for treatment in Alingar, Laghman province, on April 30, 2012. A bomb exploded next to opium poppy fields during a poppy eradication campaign in, wounding two Afghan policemen, police officials said. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

“Kim Kardashian surfs up an impressive sight as she wanders along a Miami beach in a colourful bikini on August 4, 2012. The reality TV star looked stunning as she wandered barefoot along the shore in the black and orange two-piece”. – Miranda Prynne via The Sun. (Photo by Splash News)