2020 Small World in Motion Competition

Volvox (or Protists) are colonies of cells that form in bodies of water high in nitrate, such as puddles, ditches and shallow ponds. Shown here, these “micro-cities” straddle the line between animal and plant, moving through the water as a single organism feeding. This movie was taken using the darkfield microscopy lighting technique and clearly shows Mr. Brizzi’s mastery of keeping these active creatures in focus during his study.