During Dive 08 of the Papahānaumokuākea ROV and Mapping expedition, foraminifera, or “forams,” were seen swimming during several of the midwater transects. Forams are single-celled marine organisms that secrete calcium carbonate shells. The chemistry of fossil foram shells found in sediment samples can be analyzed to provide important information about environmental changes throughout geologic time. So while they aren’t uncommon in the fossil record, we don’t often get to see them alive and swimming in the water column!