Coccolithophorids tell an extinction tale

Good article on trying to figure out the extinction patterns associated with the K/T boundary event by looking at distribution of coccolithophorid fossils -- coccolithophorids being one of the world's prettiest microscopic organisms, which can make gorgeous macroscopic patterns when viewed en masse from space. Example below. The article has a selection of microscopic pictures of various coccolithophorids, unfortunately unidentified. The paragon of ubiquitousness, Emiliania huxleyi, is top right. The one on bottom right is wild.


Penn State: tiny shelled creatures shed light on extinction and recovery 65 million years ago


This profusion is off Newfie; the strange crescent-shaped island of sand dunes and shipwrecks, Sable Island, is also prominent in the image.