Lifeboat Foundation

Mesmerizing microscopic footage showing “waves” inside a developing fly embryo has won the 14th annual Nikon Small World in Motion competition.

These “mitotic waves” occur during cell division as tissue forms and moves in the embryo of a fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster). Understanding this biological process in flies could help reveal the forces that build embryos across the animal kingdom. Many of these fundamental processes can go awry in humans, leading to neurological disorders, congenital defects and cancer.