Wonder and Awe – The Radiolarians – microscopic marine organisms of great beauty.

Posted on by Opher

The microscope has opened up a world of incredible beauty. The radiolarians are tiny microscopic creatures with skeletons of silica that are of the most amazing shapes.

They are breathtakingly wonderful like little works of art.

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False colour scanning electron micrograph of the internal siliceous skeleton of ^IRadiolaria sp.^i The outer part is broken, exposing the inner structure. Radiolaria are amoeboid protozoa. Around the skeleton, in a living organism, is an external layer of protoplasm from which radiate numerous pseudopodia, or false feet. Radiolaria are usually marine and planktonic. Magnification: x220 at 6x7cm size.
False colour scanning electron micrograph of the internal siliceous skeleton of ^IRadiolaria sp.^i The outer part is broken, exposing the inner structure. Radiolaria are amoeboid protozoa. Around the skeleton, in a living organism, is an external layer of protoplasm from which radiate numerous pseudopodia, or false feet. Radiolaria are usually marine and planktonic. Magnification: x220 at 6x7cm size.

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Isn’t nature grand?