Compound Eye Readers' Best Science and Nature Photographs of 2012

By Alex Wild on December 31, 2012

I asked for your best Science/Nature images of the year, and wow. Just, wow. The talent that came in exceeded my expectations. You guys are tremendous!

Below, in no particular order, are links to all participants' selections. If you've got a "Best of 2012" gallery you'd like to include, drop a link in the comments and I'll add you.

Transparent Water Flea, by Daniel Stoupin

Best of Vildaphotos (via Jeroen Mentens, who maintains his own list)

Paul Sparks

Michael Marlow

“Down in Front”, Venus traverses the sun, by Al Denelsbeck

Neil Losin & Day's Edge Productions

Todd Pierson

Sleeping Bee, by Nicky Bay

Ring-Neck Snake, by Bill Tyler

Nate Dappen photographs an Ibiza Wall Lizard, by Day's Edge Productions

James Waters

Meredith Mahoney

Alex Surcica <--- epic field guide!

Stick Insect on a Pin, by Adrian Thysse

Mike Lewinski (time-lapse video)

Peridotite, by Bernardo Cesare

The views expressed are those of the author(s) and are not necessarily those of Scientific American.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR(S)

Alex Wild

Alex Wild is Curator of Entomology at the University of Texas at Austin, where he studies the evolutionary history of ants. In 2003 he founded a photography business as an aesthetic complement to his scientific work, and his natural history photographs appear in numerous museums, books and media outlets.