Here at Bigelow Laboratory, we’re big fans of coccolithophores, the single-celled marine phytoplankton you see here.
They’ve been working without recognition for millions of years, building calcium plate shells, producing oxygen, and capturing atmospheric carbon.Their blooms are visible from space, yet most people have never heard of them.
Now we are making things right. Along with Ruđer Bošković Institute, MARE Science, Heriot Watt University, the International Nannoplankton Association, and NORCE, Bigelow Laboratory jointly proposes to make October 10 International Coccolithophore Day!
Join us in celebrating by sharing this post and using the tag #CoccolithophoreDay. Help us get recognition for these tiny organisms that have been shaping Earth’s climate since long before humans existed.
And the next time you visit our campus in East Boothbay, Maine, snap a photo by the large coccolithophore sculpture by artist Julie Crane and pick up some fun merch (which is also available in our web shop).
Happy International Coccolithophore Day!
