Phytoplankton Balloon

A tiny phytoplankton (Pyrocystis noctiluca) has a long way to go. Though this microscopic, plant-like organism lives deep within the dark sea, it needs sunlight to photosynthesize—and it’s a long way up to the light! Without limbs to propel itself, it has a creative way to make the trip: it swells up to six times its normal size, thus reducing its density. The effect allows it to float upward like a balloon.

From the largest to the smallest, God equipped his creation with unique abilities to help them do what they were designed to do, like soaking up the sun.

This article is from Answers magazine, April–June, 2025, p. 18.