This year, over 2,000 photographers from 18 countries submitted their work to the competition, with more than 7,500 photos entered in the preliminary round. Photographers could submit their entries in seven categories: People in science, Wildlife and nature, Microscopy images, Astronomy, Non-photographic media, the General category and Image series.

According to Ivo Kruusamägi, executive director of Wikimedia Estonia, the number of participants has remained relatively stable in recent years, although Russian photographers were not allowed to participate this time and interest from American photographers was less pronounced than usual. "We have been working to expand the circle of participating countries, and interest has notably grown among photographers from southern countries. This year, Argentina joined and many photos were submitted from Indonesia," Kruusamägi added.

Kruusamägi highlighted that the competition stands out from typical photo contests primarily due to the subject matter. Additionally, it is practically impossible to achieve a prize-winning spot without a detailed description of the photograph. "The descriptive aspect is very important – it's what makes the photo truly scientific. The viewer must clearly understand what is depicted in the image," he noted.

Similarly, it is difficult to succeed with just a visually appealing photo. "There are many entries and some might gain attention due to high technical quality and aesthetic appeal. However, to win an award, the photo must feature a rare species or activity that the average person would almost never encounter," added Kruusamägi.

This year, Estonian photographer Maxim Bilovitskiy won first place in the Non-Photographic Media category. A well-known advocate for science, Bilovitskiy has achieved recognition in the competition in previous years as well. "He has consistently either placed second or received honorable mentions almost every year. It was expected that he would do well. Additionally, there are fewer participants from other countries in this category," said Kruusamägi.

The best of this year's competition

Non-photographic media: 1st place - Maxim Bilovitskiy (Estonia)

The video demonstrates the property of carbon dioxide to transition into a supercritical state as the temperature rises. Initially, a small amount of carbon dioxide was sealed in a small glass ampoule under approximately 70 atmospheres of pressure. When the ampoule was heated, the carbon dioxide inside began transitioning into a supercritical state, resulting in an unusual state of matter that is neither liquid nor gas. After cooling, the reverse effect could be observed.

Additionally, Estonian scientific photographer Siim Pikker received recognition for a video created using an optical dark-field microscope, showcasing silver micro-mirrors in a solution. The video simultaneously captures Brownian motion, the Casimir effect and the vivid scattering of surface plasmons. The diameter of the silver micro-mirrors ranges from 2 to 20 micrometers, while the thickness of the crystalline silver mirrors is approximately 100 to 200 nanometers.

Tavo Romann caught the jury's attention with two videos. The first depicts the sublimation of freshly formed iodine crystals under a microscope. The second shows the melting and boiling of an iron nail connected to the + and - terminals of a supercapacitor. During the melting of the iron, sparks flew, reminiscent of a sparkler.

People in science: 1st place - Giles Laurent (Switzerland)

Some wild animals, such as red deer, are very difficult to approach without startling them. For this reason, wildlife photographers sometimes wear camouflage suits when photographing them. This allows them to remain unnoticed by the animals and observe their natural behavior, which would otherwise be impossible if the animals sensed a human presence.

In the category, recognition was also given to a photograph by Peeter Paaver, a geology researcher at the University of Tartu, depicting the drilling of a peat deposit in southern Estonia. Estonia is rich in raised bogs, which serve as mirrors of past environments. Peat layers can be up to 10 meters thick; in this small bog within Karula National Park, the layer is approximately seven meters thick. It preserves pollen and other compounds that once floated in the air.

Wildlife and nature: 1st place - Pablo Jimenez (Spain)

Macro photographs of spotted salamander eggs taken a few days after they were laid. The eggs were found in a small hole in the ground next to a forest shed in Galicia. Inside the eggs, the developing salamander larvae are already visible.

Among Estonian photographers, Tavo Romann received recognition in the category for his photograph of blue-tailed damselflies in a heart-shaped mating position, taken in Põlva. The male is blue, and the female is brown. The male clasps the female by the neck during the pairing.

Microscopy images: 1st place - Aude Nommick (France)

A sea urchin embryo in the blastula stage. Cell membranes are highlighted in turquoise, the spindle microtubules – acting like "ropes" to move chromosomes – are shown in red and DNA in the form of chromosomes is displayed in green. Every organ is protected by epithelial tissue, whose structure is critical for its protective function. Accurate cell division and its precise orientation are essential for maintaining the integrity of epithelial tissue. If the direction of cell division is disrupted, it can lead to the development of epithelial cancer.

Second place was awarded to a photograph by Estonian scientific photographer and entomologist Enno Merivee, depicting a parasitized wireworm.

The wireworm, a soil-dwelling beetle larva, is parasitized by the hymenopteran parasitoid Paracodrus apterogynus. The wingless female searches for and attacks the host wireworm in the soil, laying around 20 eggs inside it. The host remains alive until the parasitoid larvae have completely consumed its internal organs and pupated. However, the overall rate of parasitism in wireworms is low. Studies have shown that out of several thousand wireworms, only 2–5 are parasitized.

General category: 1st place - Dmytro Leontyev (Ukraine)

Bioluminescence in a limestone cave in Dorrigo National Park, located in New South Wales, Australia. The light is produced by the larvae of the fungus gnat Arachnocampa richardsae, a species unique to eastern Australia. The larvae create sticky droplets of liquid that hang from the cave ceiling like glowing "threads." The mesmerizing light is the result of a chemical reaction involving a substance called luciferin. This reaction occurs in secretions produced by the larvae's Malpighian tubules. The light attracts insects, which become trapped in the sticky droplets and serve as food for the larvae. The pink glow visible in the photo comes from lichens illuminated by an ultraviolet flashlight.

Astronomy: 1st place - Ram Samudrala (USA)

The Lion Nebula, located in the constellation Cepheus, lies more than 10,000 light-years away from Earth. Despite this vast distance, the nebula is enormous, spanning approximately 250 light-years in diameter. Its distinctive shape has been sculpted by several stars, including at least two exceptionally hot and massive stars known as Wolf-Rayet stars. Within the nebula, gas bubbles are also visible, each containing stars at their centers. Wolf-Rayet stars are extremely luminous and highly evolved, with masses at least 20 times greater than that of the Sun.

Image sets: 1st place - Brandon Antonio Segura Torres & Priscilla Vieto Bonilla (Argentina)

The development of a Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) embryo over 18 days. The images capture all stages of development, including gastrulation, the morula stage and neurulation. Observations were conducted using a stereomicroscope.

Second place was awarded to Estonian scientific photographer Janek Lass, who captured a series of images featuring small aquatic creatures.

Among the specimens photographed are a resting egg of a water flea from the genus Simocephalus (top right), a water flea from the genus Ceriodaphnia, a water mite, a common water flea (Daphnia pulex), a copepod and an ostracod (bottom right).

Lennart Rikki was also recognized in the competition for his photo series depicting four salamanders in developmental stages 35-37. Specimens 1 and 2 are shown ventrally, while specimens 3 and 4 are displayed dorsally. Specimens 1, 3 and 4 are leucistic mutants characterized by a deactivated pigment gene, whereas specimen 2 represents the wild type without genetic mutations.

Below, the expression of collagen (CO2A1 gene) in the same salamanders is visualized using hybridization chain reaction RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (HCR RNA-FISH) technology.

The fluorescence highlights areas rich in collagen, primarily in the skeletal regions. However, collagen expression is also noticeable in other areas, such as the gills and a distinct spot on the head.

The next local preliminary round of the global science photo competition will take place next November. "However, you can upload pictures to Wikipedia at any time, and we're always happy to see more contributions," said Ivo Kruusamäe. All works recognized in the competition can be viewed on the competition's official website.

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