11 award-winning videos show the bizarre nature of life under a microscope

Dr. Bram van den Broek, Andriy Volkov, Dr. Kees Jalink, Dr. Nicole Schwarz, and Dr. Reinhard Windoffer/Nikon Small World

The 2017 winner of the Nikon Small World photography contest.

The Nikon Small World in Motion competition celebrates the best of biological processes captured under a microscope.

On Thursday, Nikon announced the top five entries in this year's video competition, with 18 more honorable mentions. A group of independent judges selects the best photos and videos each year, with thousands of participants to choose from.

Take a look at this year's winners and some of the most impressive honorable mentions that made the cut.