A Cosmos Orange button wins first prize
This year, the overall first prize went to Igor Siwanowicz, a US-based researcher, for his photo of a Cosmos Orange bud. Captured with a confocal microscope, this bud reveals the pollen grains in the center of the anther, in a striking contrast of yellows, blues and reds. Siwanowicz says he found the flower by chance while on a walk, illustrating how natural beauty can surprise even the most experienced scientists. His reward? An Olympus SZX7 stereoscopic microscope, to extend your research.
Other winners by categories and regions
In the Materials Science category, it was an image by the German Gerd Günther that caught the jury’s attention. His photo, a knot between a human hair and a horse’s hair, reveals an almost golden metallic effect. Meticulous work that reveals astonishing textures on a microscopic scale.
The regional awards did not lack originality either. For the Americas, Marko Pende surprised with a ladybug under UV light, while Till Stephan conquered Europe, the Middle East and Africa with an image of pluripotent heart cells. On the Asia-Pacific side, Daniel Han won an award for an artistic arrangement of diatoms in a circle, an image that would be at home in an art gallery.
Some honorable mentions
Among the honorable mentions, we find images that push the limits of the scientific imagination a little further. For example, a composition of butterfly scales forming the silhouette of this insect, signed Jianguo Mao, or even photos of a fluorescent crab and a neon-tinted beetle. So many images which, beyond their aesthetics, reveal astonishing biological characteristics.
Initially limited to Europe, the Evident Image of the Year competition has established itself as a global celebration of microscopy. The winning images are a reminder of how rich and complex the microscopic world isby making visible what the eye cannot grasp.
Take the opportunity to also discover our latest publications with other equally impressive photos : the most beautiful panoramic photos of 2024, the funniest animal photos of 2024 and the most beautiful architecture photos 2024, the most beautiful dog photos, the most beautiful Macro photos of 2024 and the most beautiful weather photos 2024 .
