To follow up on last week’s sermon, a bit more about diatoms. They are actually microscopic algae that encase themselves in intricate glass shells. They have been called the most successful organism on earth: they live by the gazillions in every ocean. They are also responsible for about one-fourth of all photosynthesis on Planet Earth, thanks in part to their appetite for carbon dioxide.
But why are diatoms such prolific synthesizers of CO2? Scientists theorize that the silica in their glass shells cause chemical changes in the water inside them and in so doing creates the ideal micro-climate for photosynthesis. The ornate, almost jewelry-like cases expose and focus a greater surface area to light.
As we have suggested in previous installments here, no living thing on earth – not any form of life, no matter how simple and basic might seem – is either simple or basic. Even something as tiny and unheralded as diatoms proves the point: they are not only vital to the environment and to all life on earth, they are exquisite in their intricacy and complexity.
So what do you think: did diatoms and their role in the environment develop by chance?
A diatom gallery:
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“Categories: Church of the Infinite Chasm”