University professors find glass shells aid tiny organisms with photosynthesis
People may not want to live in glass houses, but single-celled organisms have found a use for their own glass shell.In their study recently published in the journal Science, University geosciences professors Allen Milligan and Francois Morel showed that the diatoms' natural but ornate glass coverings contain enzymes that accelerate the photosynthesis reaction, which is essential to the organisms' survival.More significantly, however, the study suggests these glass dwellings contribute enormously to the level of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere."We never knew if the glass could do anything [before]," Milligan said.