Photo of the day

If you took one single drop of water from the surface and placed it under a microscope, you would discover thousands of phytoplankton floating around in the sample. Trillions of these minuscule marine algae are responsible for generating the overall composition of both the ocean and the air we breathe. Though almost invisible to the human eye, seasonal phytoplankton blooms explode across the global ocean, producing up to 50% of our oxygen (more than redwoods, the largest and tallest trees in the world) and creating dazzling displays of color that can only be seen from outer space.