Our research colleague Isabelle Biegala will be giving a talk for the general public on phytoplankton at the Station Marine d'Endoume on 30 January 2019 (7-8.30pm)
Phytoplankton are myriads of tiny cells, often invisible to the naked eye, that inhabit the surface of seas and oceans and are capable of photosynthesis. They appeared 3.5 billion years ago and were among the first living things on our planet. They contributed to the evolution of the Earth's atmosphere, to the appearance of marine sedimentary rocks and are at the origin of terrestrial plants. Even today, they contribute to cloud formation and are considered to be our planet's second lung. Beyond the overall importance of these organisms on our planet, phytoplankton is a major economic resource for our daily lives.