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)

“Farmer reading his farm paper”. Coryell County, Texas, September 1931. (Photo by George W. Ackerman)

P.S. All pictures are presented in high resolution. To see Hi-Res images – just TWICE click on any picture. In other words, click small picture – opens the BIG picture. Click BIG picture – opens VERY BIG picture (if available; this principle works anywhere on the site AvaxNews).

College students play with coloured powder to celebrate the festival of Holi, near Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on March 7, 2023 (Photo by Press Trust of India)

Moroccan athlete Soufiane El Bakkali participates in the men's 3000m steeplechase final at the Xiamen Diamond League in China on September 2, 2023. (Photo by Aly Song/Reuters)

Blindfolded Myanmar boys try to eat the biscuits during a fair on the occasion of the 73rd Myanmar Independence Day in Yangon, Myanmar, 04 January 2021. Myanmar, also known as Burma, was colonized by Britain in 1824 and became an independent republic on 04 January 1948. (Photo by Lynn Bo Bo/EPA/EFE)

Henry Frayne of Australia shows his ability to triple jump the lenghth of more than two Formula 1 cars during a press conference at Albert Park on February 29, 2012 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Prezioso/Getty Images)

American model and television personality Kendall Jenner arrives at The Fashion Awards 2018 In Partnership With Swarovski at Royal Albert Hall on December 10, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Splash News and Pictures)

The US' winner Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates during a flowers ceremony after the women's Super G event of the 2019 FIS Alpine Ski World Championships at the National Arena in Are, Sweden, on February 5, 2019. (Photo by Denis Balibouse/Reuters)