Diatoms and dinoflagellates are more than microorganisms; they are co-creators in the intricate meshwork of life, weaving relationships that bind Earth’s waters to the cosmos. Their delicate forms tell stories of collaboration and survival, where even the tiniest entities are caught up in the flows of matter, energy, and meaning. These beings remind us that life’s beauty lies in its interconnections, its precarities, and its ability to shape worlds—whether in the depths of an ocean or the vastness of space.
24 in. x 48 in. print created from a live feed of pictures, taken by an *Imaging FlowCybot (IFCB) of diatoms and dinoflagellates in the Pacific Ocean, collaged onto a 360° Panorama of the Milky Way by ESO/S. Brunier GigaGalaxy Zoom project, to imagine silica remnants of an algal bloom in space.
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Included in the traveling group exhibition,” From the Gap to the Stars: Microscopic Life in the Universe, and Echos of the Cosmos at Rio Centro Universitario. Escorial – María Cristina and NASA-Robledo de Chavela Space Station, Madrid Spain.
*The Imaging FlowCytobot is an in-situ automated submersible imaging flow cytometer that generates images of particles in flow from the aquatic environment. Parker used the IFCB in Professor Kudela’s Lab to create drawings based on dinoflagellates found in the Eastern Pacific Ocean coastal region—special thanks to Karina Molina, OpenLab intern, for outlining the image data set.