Context:

• Scientists from Rutgers University have figured out how Diatoms, small algae that produce 20% of the world’s oxygen, harness solar energy

Key Findings:

• The discovery would lead to the development of algae based biofuels and relief from fossil fuels
• The algae store energy in the form of oils.
• Further understanding this process can release a lot of this oil which can be used as biofuel to drive vehicles

What are Diatoms:

• They are a major group of algae,specifically microalgae, found in the oceans, waterways and soils of the world.
• Living diatoms number in the trillions: they generate about 20 percent of the oxygen produced on the planet each year
• They are unicellular: they occur either as solitary cells or in colonies, which can take the shape of ribbons, fans, zigzags, or stars.