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20th Place: Sulfurous MixtureIt's a good thing we don't yet have Smell-o-Vision: A sulfur compound has the starring role in this winning picture from the 2010 Small World Microphotography Competition, whose top images were announced Wednesday.To make the image, John Hart of the University of Colorado, Boulder, melted together sulfur (picture) and acetanilide, a toxic substance once used as an antiseptic. The mixture then formed crystals, seen here magnified ten times under specially polarized light.

Sponsored by Nikon, the annual contest showcases "the beauty and complexity of life as seen through the light microscope."
Image courtesy John Hart, Nikon Small World

Pictures: Best Micro-Photos of 2010

A zebrafish nose, a wasp nest, and a mosquito heart took home top honors in the 2010 Small World Microphotography Competition.

October 13, 2010