Diatoms of silicon algae under a microscope (19 photos)

Diatoms are a type of algae or plankton that typically measure around 50.8 micrometers in size. Scientists believe that this species existed before the advent of dinosaurs. Oceanographer Dr Paul Hargreaves used an electron microscope to photograph these animals. And the artist Fay Darling retouched the pictures using special computer programs.

1. This image may look a lot like Salvador Dali's sofa lips, but it's actually a retouched electron microscope photograph of a silicon diatom, a tiny single-celled sea creature that you can't see with the naked eye.

2. This is a photograph of a dinoflagellate - we see the dorsal part of the protoceractium reticulatatum.

3. Dr Paul Hargreavers and Fay Darling claim that the picture shows dinoflagellates, and call them "Miro-Mira 2", although to us they look more like a pair of cupcakes.

4. And this creature looks like the sole of an iron, but scientists call it the “Tibetan Jewel.”

5. Here is another image taken using an electron microscope and computer retouching, which shows a diatomaceous algae.

6. Dr. Paul Hargreavers and Fay Darling named this image “Peanut Opal.”

7. They dubbed this photograph “The Blue Turtle.”

8. “Twin Crowns.”

9. They called this creature “Walker.”