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Chick Embryo Wins First Prize in Inaugural Small World in Motion Video Competition

Top honors go to Anna Franz of the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology at the University of Oxford and her video of a chick ink injection into blood vessels. This was Franz’s first time using this particular technique, which she not only mastered on the first take but captured on video for the winning entry.

The video showcases the delicate balance between difficult scientific technique and exquisite artistic quality that Nikon Small World is renowned for showcasing. To create her image, Franz cut a window into an egg to expose the 72-hour-old chick embryo and carefully injected ink into its artery under a stereo microscope to visualize the specimen’s blood system. “This movie not only demonstrates the power of the heart and the complexity of vasculature of the chick embryo, but also reflects the beauty of nature’s design,” said Franz.