Congrats to Jeff Dudycha, Tammi Richardson, Matt Greenwold, and Kristin Heidenreich for their work on cryptophytes being featured in Smithsonian Magazine. An obscure and ecologically successful group of algae, known as cryptophytes, have evolved pigments that capture light where chlorophyll cannot. Dudycha and colleagues reported this discovery in a series of recent papers. The extra energy absorption from more wavelengths of light has allowed these algae to thrive in a variety of diverse environments, from oceans to streams to ponds to mud puddles. Learn more about this exciting research here!