The Global Winner. Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurospheres. Captured by Katie Holden of the United Kingdom.
The microscopic world is full of wonders. Luckily for us, scientists around the world work tirelessly to document it all; not only to study it, but to also share its beauty with us. Evident Scientific, a top microscope manufacturer, has shared the results of its 6th Image of the Year Award, which celebrates the best in scientific microscopic imaging. The winning images are both breathtaking and insightful.
Katie Holden of the United Kingdom was named the Global Winner for her image of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurospheres. “It reveals how neuronal cells self-organize into structures that mirror the layered complexity of the human brain, blending scientific insight with striking visual beauty,” explains Evident. Holden will receive an Evident SZX7 stereo microscope and a DP23 digital camera, or a set of X Line UPLXAPO objectives as a prize.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Tahir Khan of Ireland won the Materials Science category for an image of lignin fiber that looks like an aerial shot of orange-purple hued sand dunes. In the regional awards, Igor Siwanowicz from the United States won the Americas category for his image of Mallow pollen on stigma; Germany’s Gerd Günther won the expansive Europe, the Middle East, and Africa category for his image of Stigma of chicory with pollen grains; and Kentaro Mochizuki from Japan won in the Asia-Pacific competition with a hypnotic shot of sarcomere structures within cardiomyocytes in a rat heart.
Evident also revealed that this year’s winners were selected out of submissions from 34 countries. “Entries were evaluated by a distinguished panel of experts from the global scientific community. This year’s judges possess a wealth of knowledge in fields ranging from life sciences to materials science, ensuring a fair and comprehensive review of every submission.”
Scroll down to see the winning images, as well as the honorable mentions from this year’s competition. To stay up to date with this contest, follow Evident on Instagram.
Evident Scientific, a top microscope manufacturer, has shared the results of its 6th Image of the Year Award, which celebrates the best in scientific microscopic imaging.
Materials Science Winner. Lignin fiber. Captured by Muhammad Tahir Khan of Ireland.
Regional Award Winners: Americas. Mallow pollen on stigma. Captured by Igor Siwanowicz (USA).
Regional Award Winners: Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Stigma of chicory with pollen grains. Captured by Gerd Günther (Germany).
Regional Award Winners: Asia-Pacific. Sarcomere structures within cardiomyocytes in a rat heart. Captured by Kentaro Mochizuki (Japan).
Honorable Mention. Pollen grains on a jumping spider. Captured by Javier Rupérez (Spain).
Honorable Mention. Mouse embryonic fibroblast. Captured by Joe McKellar (France).
Honorable Mention. GFP-positive Thy1 neuron in a tissue-cleared mouse brain. Captured by Marko Pende (Austria).
Honorable Mention. Commissural axons navigating across the midline of a developing central nervous system in a chick embryo.
Captured by Alexandre Dumoulin (Switzerland).
Honorable Mention. Fluorescent immunostained brain tissue from an Alzheimer’s disease mouse model. Captured by Bettina Rákóczi (Hungary).
Honorable Mention. Two anterior median eyes of a jumping spider. Captured by Walter Ferrari (Argentina).
Honorable Mention. Adult zebrafish brain. Captured by Hannah Somers (United States).
Honorable Mention. Crab zoea. Captured by Tong Zhang (Canada).
Honorable Mention. Bidens pilosa attached to a pair of stockings. Captured by Hange Du (China).
Honorable Mention. Fairyfly. Captured by Hanyang Xue (China).
Honorable Mention. Diatom arrangement. Captured by Jan Rosenboom (Germany).