Invisible to the naked eye: 15 gorgeous images captured under a microscope

A groundbreaking image of mouse brain tumor cells took top honors at the 2024 Nikon Small World Competition. At first glance, the image (seen below) might look like a sci-fi plant structure, but it’s actually the actin, microtubules, and nuclei of the cells. “This image reveals how disruptions in the cell’s cytoskeleton–the structural framework and ‘highways’ known as microtubules–can lead to diseases like Alzheimer’s and ALS,” a press release explains.