Diatoms are forever
Diatoms -- the single-celled algae that live in nearly all bodies of fresh water -- are far from rare. But, if you ask
the scientists who study them, they are precious as diamonds.
Diatoms -- the single-celled algae that live in nearly all bodies of fresh water -- are far from rare. But, if you ask
the scientists who study them, they are precious as diamonds.
Take the species Aneumastus, pictured here swimming in a sea of pink dye. This sample was collected from a small lake in north-central Mongolia by Mark Edlund. Edlund and his colleagues watch for subtle changes in diatom populations -- changes that can expose changes in the health of freshwater environments.
Diatom populations can be indicators of changes in pollution, water temperature, nutrient levels and salinity, among other things.
