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 relative performs rituals for a man who died of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), before his cremation at a crematorium in New Delhi, India, November 19, 2020. (Photo by Danish Siddiqui/Reuters)

WrestlerTeddy Sheedi (L) fights his opponent during the traditional Sindhi Malakhra wrestling in Karachi, Pakistan, 13 December 2020. A Malakhra match begins with both wrestlers tying a twisted cloth around the opponent's waist. Each one then holds onto the opponent's waistcloth and tries to throw him to the ground. (Photo by Shahzaib Akber/EPA/EFE)

British singer-songwriter Rita Ora seen attending Jonathan Ross Halloween party at The House of Koko on October 31, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Ricky Vigil M/GC Images)

Olivia Munn looks stunning in a holiday fashion campaign. The US actress shows off her sophisticated and elegant side in images shot for La Ligne's latest holiday 2022 campaign. The Magic Mike star showcases her toned legs in pictures, photographed by Pamela Hanson at the Hotel Chelsea in New York City on December 8, 2022. (Photo by Pamela Hanson/The Mega Agency)

“Wednesday” star, American actress Jenna Ortega in the last decade of January 2023 poses in white lingerie. (Photo by jennaortega/Instagram)

A South Korea fan smiles ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group H football match between Uruguay and South Korea at the Education City Stadium in Al-Rayyan, west of Doha on November 24, 2022. (Photo by Jewel Samad/AFP Photo)

This aerial photo taken on March 2, 2023 shows bulldozers working to build high-standard farmlands in Pucheng County, southeast China's Fujian Province. A new round of high-standard farmlands building is underway in Pucheng County in preparation of spring ploughing. (Photo by Xinhua News Agency/Rex Features/Shutterstock)