Creatures of Glass

From Gulf waters to genetic code, this film traces the hidden life of diatoms—their symbiosis with bacteria and the fragile conditions that sustain them. While marine megafauna capture public attention, microbes remain largely invisible. This film uses the visibility of endangered hosts to reveal the complex, often unseen worlds they carry. Part I of Searching for Diatoms, a three-part series exploring the ecology and survival of diatoms living on endangered species. Drawing from fieldwork, scientific imaging, and research, the film gives voice to these microscopic organisms and their evolving story.

Supported by the National Science Foundation through Collaborative Research: PurSUiT — Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: Phylogeny, Systematics, and Adaptation of Marine Epizoic Diatoms to Endangered Megafaunal Hosts.