Each year theInternational Small World Competitionplays host to some seriously impressive Photomicrography images that astound, amaze and leave us aghast.

The competition has been running since 1975 and there have beensome incredible winnersover the years that have passed. This year’s entries are pretty incredible, so we’ve selected some of the most interesting for you to enjoy. We’d highly recommend taking a look atthe full gallery of winners and entriesfrom this year too.

Photomicrography Competition gives you a new view of the world photo 1

Human cardiomyocytes (heart cells)

A lot of these photomicrography images are fascinating and eye-opening because they give you a new view, that you’ve likely never seen before, of something you’ve probably encountered in everyday life.

In this instance, the image is of a human heart cell. It was taken by Hui Lin and Dr. Kim McBride from the Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, USA. And was selected as the 20th-place winner in this year’s awards.

Photomicrography Competition gives you a new view of the world photo 2

This image was crafted using 60 x magnification and the Fluorescence imaging technique. This uses high-intensity lighting to excite fluorescent molecules and results in longer wavelengths and beautiful imageslike this.

Bacterial biofilm on a human tongue cell

Some of these images appear beautiful, colourful and intriguing. Then you find out what they and wish you hadn’t seen it.

This, for example, is an image of the bacterial biofilm on a human tongue cell. Now imagine what your tongue looks like, then go and give it a good brush.

Photomicrography Competition gives you a new view of the world photo 3

ThisConfocal imagegot 19th place in this year’s awards.

A zebrafish intestine

Here’s another colourful view and one you’re unlikely to guess what it is. This is a 60 times magnified view of the white blood cells in a zebrafish intestine. Curiously pretty.

Alaskan Sand

We love when these photomicrography images show us how beautiful the world is. Sometimes it’s simple minute details in things we’d never normally see this close up. This is sand viewed at 10 times magnification, yet it looks like colourful gems.

Blood vessel networks

This is another of those beautiful images that actually is thoroughly unpleasant when you learn what it is. This colourful view is a 10 times magnified view of the blood vessel networks in the intestines of a mouse.

This image by Satu Paavonsalo and Dr. Sinem Karaman from the University of Helsinki was selected for the third-place winner for this year’s competition.

Photomicrography Competition gives you a new view of the world photo 4

Slime mould

It seems that mould is one of those things that’s fascinating when you look up close. Colourful and intricate in its minute detail.

This photomicrograph image required the use of both reflected light and image stacking, but the results are pretty incredible.

Photomicrography Competition gives you a new view of the world photo 5

If you like the look of this one, there are a lot ofother mould entriesfrom previous years worth looking at too.

Carbon candle

This mesmerising view shows unburned carbon particles releasing from a candle wick. The level of detail on these close shots is impressive, even at just 2 and a half times magnification.

A fly and tiger beetle

The 10th-place photo in the photomicrography competition shows a view of a fly falling prey to a tiger beetle.

These close views of insects are fascinating with the intricate details including tiny hairs and even the lines on their eyes.

Agatized dinosaur bone

Dinosaur bones are already fairly impressive, but if you take a close-up look at them, as with this 60 times magnified view, then you get to see even more incredible detail.

Human colon

This is a colourful view of what looks like something floral but is actually a human colon. It was taken with a Brightfield photography technique at 20 times magnification.