Your name:

Hirak Parikh

Social Media Details (Twitter, Instagram):

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hirak-parikh-834704223/, https://twitter.com/parikh_hirak

Select the category that best describes your image::

Micro images

Image title:

Diatoms in Nature's Gallery - Stephanodiscus niagarae

Image description:

This captivating SEM image showcases Stephanodiscus niagarae, a distinguished diatom species known for its intricate silica frustule. Diatoms, single-celled algae, range in size from a few micrometers to several hundred micrometers, constituting a vital part of aquatic ecosystems. Their significance lies in their unparalleled diversity, contributing significantly to global carbon fixation and oxygen production. This sample was prepared meticulously by affixing it to a stub with carbon tape and coated with a 20 nm layer of gold palladium. Through meticulous imaging at 5-10 kV using a TESCAN VEGA 3 SEM at Indiana State University, the resulting micrograph unveils the diatom's silica architecture in exquisite detail, providing a glimpse into the stunning complexity of nature's microcosm.