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)

A youth dives into a crater filled with water in Aleppo's al-Shaar district, in this July 10, 2014 file photo. (Photo by Hosam Katan/Reuters)

The Northern Lights glow green in a spectacular light show above a field of trees frozen solid with snow. (Photo by Jaak Sarv/Solent News & Photo Agency)

Andy Goldfarb, a staff biologist at the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, plays with one of the four clouded leopard cubs currently at the zoo Friday, June 5, 2015 in Tacoma, Wash. The quadruplets were born on May 12, 2015 and now weigh about 1.7 lbs. each. Friday was their first official day on display for public viewing, usually during their every-four-hours bottle-feeding sessions, which were started after the cubs' mother did not show enough interest in continuing to nurse them. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., comforts Rep. Susan Wild, D-Pa., while taking cover as protesters disrupt the joint session of Congress to certify the Electoral College vote on Wednesday, January 6, 2021. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

The owner of the zoo Pierre Thivillon laughs next to a chimpanzee on May 17, 2021, at the zoological park of Saint-Martin-la-Plaine, two days ahead of its reopening as part of France's latest step toward the ending of its third nationwide Covid-19 lockdown. (Photo by Jean-Philippe Ksiazek/AFP Photo)

Palmeiras' Gustavo Scarpa celebrates with the trophy after winning the Paulista Championship in Sao Paulo, Brazil, April 3, 2022. (Photo by Amanda Perobelli/Reuters)

A mannequin depicting Superman is placed upside down next to the door of the parliament session hall hosting a no confidence vote agains Romanian Prime Minister Florin Citu's government in Bucharest, Romania, Tuesday, October 5, 2021. Romania's government fell after 281 lawmakers of the 234 required voted in favor of the no-confidence vote. (Photo by Vadim Ghirda/AP Photo)