Indeed, the silica exoskeletons enveloping diatoms have the highest specific strength of any biologically produced material, including bone, antlers, and teeth.

Because diatoms rely on silica rather than calcium carbonate to build their shells, they were previously thought to benefit from ocean acidification -- a chemical change in seawater triggered by ...

The diatom Guinardia. (Image credit: Elizabeth Ruck) Diatoms incorporate that silica into their beautifully ornamented glass cell walls, whose intricate patterns have captivated researchers for ...

Recent work suggests that the silica fraction of grasses, phytoliths, play an important role in the delivery of dissolved silica to freshwater lakes. However, these ideas require examination. In order ...

Diatoms’ silica cell walls help drag the tiny carbon-bearing algae down into the ocean when they die. But acidifying oceans can lead to thinner walls. M.I. Walker/Science Source.

This isotopic offset may be caused by the silica concentrating mechanisms diatoms use to precipitate their frustules. These results are consistent with literature arguments regarding the utility of ...

Diatoms were thought to have grown progressively more abundant from the start of the Cenozoic Era, 66 million years ago, until today, Westacott said. The prevailing view was that the rise of diatoms ...

Diatoms have unique geometric structures made from silica, which they extract from the water, like corals that build their homes from calcium in the ocean. They are also one of the most important ...

Diatoms turns a weird Victorian art craze into a solid competitive board game that also has a solo campaign. ... to 200 microns and that have colorful cell walls made of silica.

The algae, tiny water organisms called diatoms, have skeletons made of silicon dioxide (silica). Silica is a common part of natural rock, sand, and clay, making up 27.7% of the Earth's crust by ...