Watch: Recent microbial discoveries are changing our view of life on Earth

A closer look at protists highlights how much we don't know about life on our planet

An image of a microscopic diatom which has a hard porous cell wall on a black background.

This microscopic diatom, a type of protist, has a hard, porous cell wall.

Dennis Kunkel Microscopy/Science Photo Library/Alamy Stock Photo

Gumdrop with an earring.