All Algae articles – Page 2
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NewsRevealing the invisible: a new baseline for Salish sea diatoms answers a global call
Diatoms are powerful in driving roughly 20% of global photosynthesis and forming the very base of marine food webs. Scientists have published a new checklist of 924 diatom taxa alongside a curated dataset of 11,469 records, providing a long-needed foundation for environmental monitoring across the Salish Sea bioregion.
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NewsAs day turns to night, blue-green algae undergo a molecular rewiring
Traditionally, biotechnology researchers have modified genes when engineering microbes. But researchers are using predictive phenomics to uncover additional layers of biological control, tracking how environmental changes reshape molecular activity inside a cell and how those shifts translate to function.
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NewsClimate warming causes bleaching in key Arctic lichen, study finds
Long-term climate warming is causing a bleaching effect in a key Arctic lichen species, according to new research. Prolonged warming caused significant bleaching in the dominant lichen species Cetrariella delisei, reducing its ability to photosynthesise and grow.
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NewsStudy reveals hidden diversity of algae in farmland
Researchers discovered unexpectedly strong seasonal variation in algae in the surface soils of farmland. Xanthophyceae were the most abundant when it was colder, at the time points in spring and autumn; whereas Cyanobacteria and green algae were prevalent shortly before crop harvest in summer.
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NewsStudy provides detailed assessment of shifts in toxin producing phytoplankton abundance
Researchers in the UK have shown how the distributions of two phytoplankton groups – known to produce natural toxins that can halt shellfish harvesting – have changed in the North East Atlantic over the last six decades.
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NewsMicrofossils interpreted as animal traces were actually algae and bactéria
A reexamination of microfossils found in Brazil shows that the marks previously interpreted as traces of worms or other small oceanic animals are actually communities of fossilized microscopic bacteria and algae.
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NewsAlgal bloom crisis shows climate risks need evaluative governance
Identifying and analysing climate risks is a necessary function of governments, but researchers argue such processes will not lead to effective action without taking additional steps to understand which risks are considered unacceptable by the community and prioritising responses accordingly.
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NewsLight without electricity? Glowing algae could make it possible
Researchers successfully turned on the “light switch” in algae and kept them lit up using simple chemical solutions. The finding opens the door for future technologies such as autonomous robots that can operate in dark environments and living sensors for water quality.
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NewsIs asphalt bad for our health? And can algae help?
Scientists studying how asphalt emissions impact respiratory health are also working on less toxic, lower-emitting asphalt formulations. One project involves growing a strain of algae that could reduce VOC emissions using wastewater from a treatment plant.
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NewsAndes volcanoes – the missing link between algae blooms, whales and climate millions of years ago
Record volcanic eruptions in the Andes could explain the mysterious death of dozens of whales about 5 to 8 million years ago, according to a study. A significant increase in volcanic activity in the Andes peaking between eight and four million years ago likely delivered a significant pulse of nutrients to the Southern Ocean.
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NewsCyanobacteria surprise scientists with evolutionary shift
Researchers report a surprising new discovery—a system thought to separate DNA has developed to sculpt the shape of the cell in cyanobacteria instead. The results shed light on how protein systems evolve and how multicellularity emerged in this type of ecologically essential bacteria.
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NewsTurning microalgae into high-value fuels: biochar-based catalyst unlocks cleaner aromatic production
Scientists have designed a composite catalyst that significantly improves the quality of bio-oil derived from microalgae. By combining biochar with a well-known zeolite catalyst called HZSM-5, the team created a hybrid material that enhances the production of valuable aromatic hydrocarbons while minimizing unwanted byproducts.
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NewsDon’t build the engine, grow it: biohybrid miniature robots using living organisms
By fusing living organisms like bacteria, algae, and insects with synthetic payloads, researchers are creating living biohybrid miniature robots that self-fuel, self-repair, and navigate environments that would paralyze a rigid silicon chip.
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NewsMBL scientist Alexandra Z. Worden honored with a Guggenheim Fellowship
Alexandra Z. Worden, Senior Scientist in the Bay Paul Center at the Marine Biological Laboratory and a Professor in the Department of the Geophysical Sciences at the University of Chicago was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship this week, in recognition of her groundbreaking research in ocean biogeochemistry.
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News‘Safe’ fertilizer linked to extreme water quality loss in Canadian Prairies
Research has found that widespread application of the common farm fertilizer, urea, severely degrades water quality in the Canadian Prairies. Urea added to farm ponds increased growth of algae to levels 10 times higher than seen in other damaged ecosystems, such as Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba.
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NewsTiny plankton have big impact on harmful algal bloom predictions
While some computer models can forecast potential algal blooms, their accuracy is limited.. A new study shows that coupling three models and accounting for how different algae species interact can significantly improve predictions.
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NewsClimate change may produce ‘fast-food’ phytoplankton
Scientists report that as sea surface temperatures rise over the next century, phytoplankton in polar regions will adapt to be less rich in proteins, heavier in carbohydrates, and lower in nutrients overall.
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NewsTurning algae waste into powerful filters: New biochar membranes clean wastewater more efficiently
A new study has developed a sustainable filtration technology that transforms microalgae waste into high-performance membranes capable of removing pollutants and bacteria from wastewater. The innovation could offer a greener and more efficient solution for municipal water treatment.
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NewsThesis confirms algae have strong wound-healing, skin-protective, and immune-supporting properties
New research demonstrates that polysaccharides extracted from various seaweeds and freshwater cyanobacteria possess remarkable bioactive properties and can accelerate wound healing, reduce inflammation, and protect skin cells from UV-induced damage.
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NewsStopping algae blooms with bacteria-busting buoys
Algae blooms make a pond’s surface shine in mesmerizing green hues. But if the microorganisms responsible are cyanobacteria, they can also release toxins that harm humans and wildlife alike. So, a team reporting in ACS ES&T Water has designed a “set it and forget it” system for distributing algaecide using ...