By Jennifer Maerz

The California Academy of Sciences has a pretty incredible collection of algae as art online. Our local natural sciences hub has a thing for beautiful aesthetics, and its display of these microscopic organisms just further proves the institution has a great eye for design. These colorful universes of algae organized neatly were created on microscope slides by hobbyists around the world, and they’re part of Cal Academy’s Diatom Collection (speaking of collections, the museum’s displays from its gems and minerals collection will make your brain explode if you love pretty rocks and giant crystals).

Top: Photograph of fossil diatoms collected in Pt. Reyes National Seashore in Marin County, California, and arranged on a microscope slide in 1968 by A.L. Brigger. Above: photograph of diatoms arranged on a microscope slide by W.M. Grant.

Photograph of diatoms arranged in October 1974 on a microscope slide by R.I. Firth. The slide label reads “Selected species from Californian fossil marine localities. To Mrs. G Dallas Hanna with compliments.”

Photograph of diatoms arranged on a microscope slide. The slide label reads “Prize Medal Paris 1867 Diatomaceae.”

View the full collection on California Academy of Science’s Flickr page.

(via Colossal)