The 20 most incredible microscope photos of the year

Microscopes can see what no human eyes can, but the incredible views are often limited to the person behind the lens.

Paired with a camera and a lot of skill, however, photographers can capture this tiny universe and bring it to all of us.

Each year the Nikon Small World contest awards the best microscope images taken by amateur and professional photographers.

I helped judge the 40th competition in 2014, and it wasn't easy. We pored over more than 1,200 images from 79 countries before choosing 20 winners based on quality, uniqueness, and difficulty.

This year looked even harder. Judges had to pick 20 top photos out more than 2,000 entries submitted from 83 countries. The finalists, which we featured last week, included stunning views of plnat tentacles, bee stingers, tadpole brains, moth wings, seeds, neurons, nanoparticles, a Blu-ray disc, and even part of a cell phone pulled from the muck of a seabed.

Keep scrolling to browse the 20 best microscope images of 2015.