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)

A man carries a bag on his back in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, January 26, 2016. According to traffic police, over 2.9 billion trips will be made around China during the 40-day Spring Festival travel rush, which started on January 24. (Photo by Reuters/Stringer)

Pete McLeod of Canada flies in formation with Nigel Lamb of Great Britain, Martin Sonka of the Czech Republic and Kirby Chambliss of the United States during a Recon flight prior to the seventh stage of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship over the Hoover Dam on October 09, 2014 on the border between the U.S. states of Arizona and Nevada. (Photo by Joerg Mitter/Red Bull via Getty Images)

Britain's Princess Elizabeth clasps her hands in sympathy as Sergeant Jean Bayliss faints at her feet during an inspection of the guard of honour of the Women's Royal Army Corps at Shrewsbury Castle, Shropshire, on July 6, 1949. (Photo by AP Photo)

A woman plays with her three dogs at the beach after sunset in Del Mar, California, USA on November 10, 2017. (Photo by Mike Blake/Reuters)

Chrissy Teigen and daughter Luna Stephens seen on the streets of Manhattan on June 24, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by James Devaney/GC Images)

Clouds in Drakensberg Escarpment in the lowveld, also known as Mariepskop, South Africa in July 2019. Snapped by professional Photographer, Em Gatland, 37, from Greater Kruger, South Africa, the unique shot could easily be mistaken for a dangerous wave rather than clouds passing through a sunset. (Photo by Em Gatland/Caters News Agency)

A tourist stands on a paddle boat near soldiers taking part on a military and police drill in preparation for the temporary closure of the holiday island Boracay in Philippines on April 24, 2018. (Photo by Erik De Castro/Reuters)