#116: A Diatom Whispers to the Wind, 'Make Me a Cloud,' and the Wind Obliges

The Self-Regulating (one of many) Feedback Loop: How Diatoms Help Create Clouds and Rain to Ease Ocean Eutrophication

Now that we’ve finished our exploration of diatoms, we’ll dive deeper into many of the topics we touched on—specifically those that could provide solutions for healing the planet. In future discussions, I’ll aim to quantify these processes and lay down a framework where diatoms can be integrated into a larger solution involving multiple organisms and ecosystems. This holistic approach will show how these feedback loops can work together to restore balance.

But for today, picture this:

A diatom whispers to the wind, “Make me a cloud!”
And the wind obliges, weaving wisps of vapor into fluffy cumulus formations.

A Diatom's Whisper: Make Me a Cloud

A diatom whispers to the wind, “Make me a cloud!” And the wind, as if attuned to the tiny creature’s desires, takes the whisper and carries it across the sea. But how could something as minuscule as a diatom make such a grand request? What exactly is being whispered here, and how does it all work?

Let’s recap: What are diatoms? These microscopic, single-celled algae live in the ocean and play an outsized role in the Earth's carbon and sulfur cycles. They are more than just passive participants in marine ecosystems; they are chemical factories, tirelessly photosynthesizing and releasing compounds into their environment. Among their many talents, diatoms are known for one particular biochemical trick: they produce dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), a sulfur-based compound that begins their influence on the atmosphere.

But let’s not jump too far ahead. First, we need to understand why diatoms bloom in such great numbers, and how that blooming connects to cloud formation.