Dr Odysseus A Archontikis

Dr Odysseus A Archontikis (2019, Environmental Sciences) and Dr Josué G. Millán were named the overall winners of The Micropalaeontological Society (TMS) Image Competition 2025. The announcement was made at the Society’s Annual Conference at the University of Pisa, Italy in November 2025.

The Micropalaeontological Society was established with the purpose of advancing public education in the field of micropalaeontology. Operating solely for scientific and educational aims and without profit, the Society serves as a platform for fostering research, dialogue, and dissemination within this specialised discipline.

Since 2014, the society’s annual image competition has served as a celebration of the intersection between art and science, revealing the remarkable aesthetic and structural intricacies of the microscopic world. Each year, twelve winning entries are selected from an international pool of submissions to feature in the Society’s calendar, a fixture in laboratories, offices, and homes worldwide. A judging panel comprising both early-career and senior scientists from a range of institutions evaluates anonymised submissions, selecting the twelve most compelling images for final ranking by the broader community.

Dr Odysseus A Archontikis and Dr Josué G Millán were awarded first prize for their striking image which depicts two phytoplanktonic organisms – the coccolithophore Reticulofenestra sessilis and the siliceous diatom Thalassiosira punctifera.

Image: A Archontikis and J G Millán, The Micropalaeontological Society

The picture captures the harmonious interplay of calcite and silica that defines the ocean’s microscopic fabric, and will feature on the cover of the TMS 2026 Calendar.

Dr Archontikis is fascinated by the bidirectional interplay between plankton palaeobiology and the Earth’s climate. While at Univ, his DPhil project examined the diversity, evolution and species concepts of marine calcifying microplankton through a combined analysis of fossil record, and marine protist biology.

Drs Archontikis and Millán said: “We are deeply honoured to receive this recognition from The Micropalaeontological Society and sincerely grateful for the opportunity to share the beauty and complexity of the planktonic world through our image. Just like the coccolithophore and diatom featured in our winning image – distinct species from different planktonic groups – our collaboration flourished through the power of teamwork. It is our sincere hope that societies will continue to learn from the enduring lessons offered by the natural world.”

Published: 7 January 2026

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