All Algae articles
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NewsLight-powered algae bring a soft robotic arm to life
A soft robotic arm powered by living algae can bend, grasp and lift small objects using only changes in light. The device turns photosynthesis-driven changes in acidity into mechanical motion, offering a glimpse of soft robots that could respond to their environment with very little external energy.
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NewsFAU receives $1.3M NOAA grant to address harmful algal blooms
A new $1.3 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science will enable researchers to investigate the environmental and biological mechanisms that drive harmful algal blooms in subtropical estuaries.
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NewsScientists discover a way to reverse coral bleaching at record speed
For the first time, scientists have observed bleached corals on the brink of death fully recover through brief contact with healthy clones. Ghostly white corals returned to full health in a laboratory setting within seven weeks, the fastest documented recovery to date, according to a study.
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NewsNew sequencing tool tracks harmful algal blooms as they emerge
A portable DNA sequencer can detect harmful algae in coastal waters in near real time, including species present at very low levels before blooms become obvious. Researchers also found that several harmful species often appear together, suggesting shared environmental triggers may help drive their growth.
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NewsMicroalgae show promise as sustainable fertiliser for malting barley
New research has demonstrated that microalgae could provide a sustainable alternative to conventional mineral fertilisers for malting barley production. The study explored whether microalgae could help reduce the agricultural sector’s reliance on synthetic mineral fertilisers while maintaining crop performance and grain quality.
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NewsPenguin poo is melting Antarctic snow by keeping algae green
Penguin poo is fertilizing snow algae blooms along the Antarctic Peninsula, feeding dense green algae patches along the coastline, a new study shows. These expanding stretches of green snow melt faster than clean, white snow, potentially speeding up the spread of snow- and ice- free areas of Antarctica.
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NewsGlobal genome atlas reveals hidden life in lakes
Researchers reconstructed nearly 20,000 mitochondrial genomes from around 3,660 species fround in lakes and reservoirs. The result is the first global genomic atlas of these microscopic eukaryotes found in lakes and reservoirs. It reveals a wealth of previously unknown biodiversity: for several groups of algae and related organisms.
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NewsNobel Prize: Light-seeking algae gave us a switch for nerve cells
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2026 is awarded for optogenetics - a method that makes it possible to show how nerve cells shape memories, feelings and behaviours in the living brain. But the road to the award began when Peter Hegemann wondered how the single-celled alga Chlamydomonas, is able to swim towards a light source.
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NewsIn African lakes, microbes living on algae reduce a powerful greenhouse gas
Lakes emit as much methane as agriculture. Researchers have shown that, in 79 African lakes, bacteria living on the surface of microalgae act as a natural filter. The greener the water becomes, the more these methanotrophs break down this powerful greenhouse gas.
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NewsCurrents in an Arctic sea accelerate the sinking of carbon-carrying phytoplankton
Documenting the seasonal fate of these tiny marine organisms is a step toward understanding how ecosystems in the world’s fastest-warming region may change as ice recedes.
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NewsCorals show ‘vaccine-like’ responses after pathogen exposure
To boost the resilience of corals in the face of increasing sea temperatures and the spread of disease, researchers have found that controlled, low-level exposure to dead pathogenic cells can help corals resist future infection.
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NewsCyanobacterium found in clean lakes shows little toxic potential
Scientists have assembled the first complete genomes of Gloeotrichia echinulata, comparing DNA of samples from both West Coast and Northeast lakes. They found no evidence of the machinery required to produce the toxins commonly associated with cyanobacteria.
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NewsFirst results published from major algal gene sequencing project
A new study reveals that different species of microscopic algae can behave in strikingly different ways because of their genetics.
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NewsLoss of kelp forests reverberates down to microbial level
As one moves north, Maine’s kelp forests are being overtaken by dense mats of carpet-like turf algae. The steady decline of kelp, and transition into this new state, is altering the ecosystem all the way down to the microbial level, according to a new study.
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NewsHeat-tolerant corals may be more vulnerable to disease, study finds
Corals that partner with heat-tolerant algae may be better equipped to survive warming oceans but that resilience comes with an unexpected trade-off. Such corals keep their stress response system in a heightened state - and that can backfire.
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NewsScientists reconstruct past ocean temperatures from red algae
Researchers have found a new way to reconstruct daily seawater temperatures over a four-month period. The key lies in rhodoliths: nodule-like calcareous structures formed by red algae that occur in oceans worldwide.
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NewsMarine heatwaves pose hidden threat to human health
Prolonged periods of unusually high ocean temperatures can trigger a cascade of effects that ultimately affect human health, from worsening extreme weather events and reducing seafood supplies to increasing mental health challenges.
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NewsNew AI-driven technology could help combat harmful algal blooms
Researchers are developing an innovative technology that could help stop harmful algal blooms before they spread.
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NewsProtein-enriched ketchup gets a boost from algae extracts
Added protein is showing up in foods from breakfast cereal to pasta, but not many condiments … yet. Researchers have now developed an enriched tomato ketchup by incorporating protein extracted from microalgae.
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NewsRedistributing sunlight boosts algae biomass productivity sixfold
Researchers have developed a low-energy way to distribute sunlight more evenly throughout algae cultivation systems. The technology increased algae biomass productivity by as much as six times in outdoor testing.