Military helicopters fly in formation above a billboard with a picture of China's late Chairman Mao Zedong during a training session for the upcoming parade marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two, on the outskirts of Beijing, July 2, 2015. Troops from Russia and Mongolia will march together with Chinese forces in a parade in Beijing in September to commemorate the end of World War Two, the government and state media said on Thursday, confirming the first two foreign participants. (Photo by Jason Lee/Reuters)

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 reveller is covered in tomato pulp and juice while participating in the annual Tomatina festival on August 31, 2011 in Bunol, Spain. An estimated 35,000 people threw 120 tons of ripe tomatoes in the world's biggest tomato fight held annually in this Spanish Mediterranean town. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

Workers at the World's Finest Chocolate company weigh what they hope will be a world record chocolate bar September 13, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. The candy bar, weighing 12,190 pounds, standing nearly 3 feet high and measuring 21 feet long beat the previous record chocolate bar by more than a ton. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Soldiers, including two recruits who have brought some chickens, at Victoria prepare to board the train for the battle front. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

A recruitment drive during the First World War at Trafalgar Square, London. (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images)

Japanese team trains before the 6th FINA Synchronised Swimming World Trophy at the Water Cube on December 8, 2011 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images)

Grand Champion Oakhurst Crusin' in Chrome, an Australian Shepard, poses backstage at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show after winning best of opposite s*x on February 13, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Getty Images)