Diatoms: Unnoticed Living Jewels in Water

This book is designed to introduce diatoms to younger generations and to enlighten them about how these “living jewels” help our planet function on a daily basis. Diatoms are in the group of plants called algae, and have typically been appreciated only by the scientists who study them and those who use them commercially. The significance of these mysterious tiny plants is especially important for the younger generations, because diatoms will forever play a critical role in the health of our planet. Most diatoms are smaller than the period at the end of this sentence, yet together they provide nearly 40% of the Earth’s oxygen and effectively help reduce global warming on our planet. Diatoms also help us in learning about the past, solving crimes, manufacturing household products, providing ideas for artists and designers, and potentially creating fuel and solar energy for cars, trucks, and planes. Diatoms are also critical in the ecological food chain of streams, lakes and oceans. There is still much to be learned about these tiny plants and there will undoubtedly be new discoveries about the importance of diatoms in medicine, commercial products, potential food sources, and their necessary conservation in maintaining our planet for future generations.