Chinese Student's Stunning Video Wins Nikon's Microscopy Contest

WHO:

Ars Technica - Ning Xu of Tsinghua University is the winner of Nikon's Small World in Motion video contest.

WHAT:

TechRadar - The winning video showcases airway cells dancing, specifically tiny cilia beating in the airways of a child with a rare genetic disorder.

TechRadar - The imaging system built by Xu captured the cilia at 100x magnification.

WHERE:

Ars Technica - The video was created by a student at Tsinghua University, located in China.

WHEN:

TechRadar - The Nikon Small World in Motion 2026 competition has announced its winners.

HOW:

TechRadar - Xu built an imaging system to capture the cilia in motion.

(UPDATED September 18, 2026 16:03 UTC)

Ning Xu from Tsinghua University has been named the winner of Nikon's Small World in Motion video contest for his remarkable work showcasing airway cells in action. His winning video captures tiny cilia beating in the airways of a child with a rare genetic disorder, all thanks to an imaging system he built that magnifies the cilia by one hundred times. This year's competition has officially announced its winners, highlighting the innovative research coming out of China.