Diatoms provide a peek into our history, while also being a source of nutrition, energy and oxygen

In the past century, fossil fuels like petrol and diesel have powered our vehicles, machines and in fact, our world! But the era of these fuels is coming to an end; all our petroleum reserves are soon ending, and the increasing pollution due to these fuels is making the world sick. Now, our hope lies in biofuels—fuels produced by organic wastes that are renewable and eco-friendly, unlike fossil fuels.

Scientists from Indian Institute of Khragpur (IIT KGP) have developed a novel method to estimate the biomass and pigment concentration of algae, without ever having to touch or disturb the organism, which could help algae using industries, like pharmaceutical and food industries, with quick tests of their yield.