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)

Natasha Hastings of U.S. on the starting block before the women's 400 metres heats during the 15th IAAF World Championships at the National Stadium in Beijing, China August 24, 2015. (Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

Surfers surf at Surf Snowdonia in Conwy, North Wales, September 3, 2015. The surf park, which cost $22.8 million, opened on August 1 and is the world's first commercial artificial surfing lake, according to the company.The pool is 300 metres (980 ft) long and 110 metres (360 ft) wide, containing a total of six million gallons of water. A bi-directional snowplough-shaped wave-generation mechanism, towed on a cable between the two central towers, moves up and down the pool on a three-rail track, generating the waves. (Photo by Andrew Yates/Reuters)

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)

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)

Visitors of the world's longest tree top walk between the trees of the Bavarian forest on November 6, 2009 in Neuschoenau, Germany. The path, 1300 meters long and in 8 to 25m height, winds up to an impressive tower with a height of 44 meters. The wooden construction is integrated into the forest and delivers a natural experience. (Photo by Miguel Villagran/Getty Images)

A soldier helps another with her ear protection at the Terningmoen Camp in Elverum, Norway on March 23, 2017. Soldiers demonstrate their skills and tactics during a contract drill as they train to become part of the world's first all-female special forces unit, the Jegertroppen or “hunter troops”. (Photo by Carolina Reid/NBC News)

Sport category, winner: Yuan Peng. Liu Bingqing and Liu Yujie are twin sisters who have studied and trained in gymnastics since their early childhood in Jining, China. (Photo by Yuan Peng/Sony World Photography Awards)