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The microalgae Nitzschia cf pellucida is only a couple of micrometers across, yet this tiny organism has the ability to wage deadly biochemical war to strip its surroundings of competition. More »
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Actually, Mesodinium chamaeleon is both. This single-celled organism definitely eats other creatures, which makes it an animal. But it also absorbs algae cells that can then give it extra energy through photosynthesis. So what on earth is this strange creature? More »
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Here's a reminder that a lot of tiny dead microorganisms can create an absolutely gag-worthy mess. Earlier this week, the British seaside town of Cleveleys was frosted with a thick coating of oceanic foam that resembled snow, but was in all likelihood a frothing mix of deceased algae. Explains The Guardian: More »
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The algae is in full bloom off of the Chinese city of Qingdao, creating a giant greet splotch measuring as much as 70 meters by 100 meters. As you can see, it takes more than that to deter Qingdao beach-goers. More »
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In the small, freshwater streams of South Dakota, a horrible menace is creeping along the rockbeds. Known as rock snot, it's a form of algae that clings to rocks and spreads rapidly until it takes over the entire ecosystem of the stream, often killing off local plants and microbes. The stuff has spread from North America all the way to New Zealand. But what's really weird is that rock snot can grow even in rivers that appear to have almost no nutrients in them at all. What is helping this algae grow so fast? Is it feeding on our fear? More »
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With water shortages looming in the future, we need new ways to clean water that's been fouled by human waste, agricultural runoff and industry. A new article published in BioScience (free PDF link) shows that we can use naturally-occurring algae as a filter. The plants would not only make the water suitable for re-use, but could also allow us to harvest pollutants for fertilizer and even biofuel. More »
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Ever wonder how we're going to create humans who can breathe underwater? Of course you do. Now a study published this week about how algae insinuate themselves into salamander embryos (and DNA) could provide the beginnings of an answer. More »
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Thirty-four millennia ago, some bacteria got trapped inside salt crystals in what is now Death Valley. These crystals were recently dug up and the bacteria freed from their hibernation...and then they started reproducing. More »
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For most of the year, Caño Cristales in Serrania de La Macarena, Colombia is a normal river. But for a brief period between the wet and dry seasons, Caño Cristales explodes with kaleidoscopic algae straight out of another dimension. More »
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A form of algae, called Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, has a very complicated way of swimming. A new study published in Nature magazine explains how individual algae cells can control their motion using tiny little flagella operating in two different "gears." More »
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Not only could we use algae as a new fuel source soon, but we also might use it to create better nanotechnology. Diatoms, tiny phytoplanktons, come encased in a unique cell wall made out of silica, which has pores and channels that increase its surface area dramatically. Using the existing complexity of these natural structures in nature could be a cheap way to make "lab-on-a-chip" systems for micro-analysis... without any industrial chemical processes. Diatom image by Peter Webber, from Nikon Small World. [Nanowerk] More »
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Massive algae blooms killed seals, birds and sea lions on the California coast earlier this yea because algae exudes a toxin called domoic acid. When these blooms got out of control, aquatic animals would ingest the toxin because the fish they eat had been nibbling on these super-blooms. But those algae blooms were nothing compared to this one, seen in London's Hyde Park last year. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=328756&view=rss&microfeed=true From "Can algae save the world?" an exhibit at the Science Museum in London running until April 2008. Scientists are hoping the entire planet will use algae as biofuels in the future. More menacing algae after the jump. Images by Kirsty Wigglesworth for AP. More »
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