Tag: calcium carbonate
-
Chemistry in Pictures: Tiny Ocean Engineers
Introduction: The Micro Architects of the Sea From the shimmering surface to the dark depths, the ocean hosts countless tiny builders whose work quietly sustains the global climate. Coccolithophores are among the most remarkable of these microscopic engineers. These single-celled marine algae construct intricate calcium carbonate shells—the unmistakable plates, spines, and lattice-like coverings that give…
-
Tiny Ocean Engineers: Coccolithophores and the Ocean’s Carbon Clock
Introduction: Tiny organisms with a global footprint Invisible to the naked eye, coccolithophores are a group of microscopic marine algae that pull carbon from the atmosphere and lock it away in their intricate calcium carbonate shells. These tiny ocean engineers vary in shape and surface texture—from plated and porous to spiky exterior designs—but they all…