Last week biologist Wei-Feng Xue won the Society of Biology‘s Photographer of the Year award for his amazing shot of chestnut tree roots creeping across a pavement in Hong Kong. He said “Tree roots are amazing. They may be thin, bendy and breakable, but given time, they can break through stones. On patterned stone pavements, the paths of least resistance for the roots are the thin gaps between the stones. For the roots of chestnut trees in the Wong Nai Chung Road Crescent Garden in Hong Kong, the result is pavement-patterned roots that are slowly taking over the garden street. It is through taking pictures of wonderful natural phenomenon like these roots that I discovered how amazing biology is. Photographing nature has very much inspired me to be a biologist.”

- A.Morris