Diatom are a class of unicellular algae (Bacillariophyceae) that live in cold waters of relatively low salinity.
From Dictionary.com: any of numerous microscopic, unicellular, marine or freshwater algae of the phylum Chrysophyta, having cell walls containing silica.
Word Origin
[New Latin diatoma, from Greek diatomos, cut in half, from diatemnein, to cut in half.]
(If you watch Bones, you may have heard their "dirt" guy, Hodgins, talk about diatomaceous earth. This is: a fine siliceous earth composed chiefly of the cell walls of diatoms: used in filtration, as an abrasive, etc.)
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