All Algae articles – Page 8
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NewsScientists develop an ink that boosts coral reef settlement by 20 times
With coral reefs in crisis due to climate change, scientists have engineered a bio-ink that could help promote coral larvae settlement and restore these underwater ecosystems before it’s too late.
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NewsViruses that kill toxic algae may increase risks for people and ecosystems
New laboratory research shows that when viruses attack a species that forms toxic algal blooms, those thick, blue-green slicks that choke waterways and that threaten ecosystems, drinking water, and public health, what results might be even worse than before the infection.
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NewsStudy uncovers how the plastisphere can influence growth of harmful algal blooms
A new study published in Sustainable Microbiology delves into how the age and size of microplastics affects the growth of harmful algal blooms.
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NewsSynthetic lichen points a pathway to self-healing concrete
Addressing one of the most persistent and expensive problems in construction, scientists have taken inspiration from nature to develop a synthetic lichen system to enable concrete to self-repair.
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NewsBacterial villain behind Lake Erie’s ‘potent toxin’ unveiled by study
In Lake Erie, cyanobacteria can proliferate out of control, creating algal blooms that produce toxins that can harm wildlife and human health. Researchers have IDed the organism responsible for the toxins: a cyanobacteria called Dolichospermum.
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NewsControlling starch levels in algae could have biotechnology and sustainability benefits
Researchers have found a new method to control starch storage in algae - a finding with potential applications in areas such reducing greenhouse gases. Modifying a blue light-activated signalling pathway makes it possible to regulate storage, they say.
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NewsResearchers discover large dormant virus can be reactivated in model green alga
Scientists have not only found a virus in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii but discovered the largest one ever recorded with a latent infection cycle, meaning it goes dormant in the host before being reactivated to cause disease.
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NewsResearch to tackle Prymnesium algal blooms which affect fish populations
A scientific initiative to combat harmful Prymnesium algal blooms in the Broads is gaining fresh momentum, thanks to a renewed collaboration.
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NewsScientists link a phytoplankton bloom to starving dolphins in Florida
In 2013, 8% of the bottlenose dolphins living in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon died. Investigations have now revealed that the dolphins may have starved because key habitats for nutritious prey were destroyed by a phytoplankton bloom driven by the accumulation of fertilizer, effluent from septic tanks, and other by-products of human activity.
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NewsA step towards life on Mars? Lichens survive Martian simulation in new study
For the first time, researchers have demonstrated that certain lichen species can survive Mars-like conditions, including exposure to ionising radiation, while maintaining a metabolically active state.
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NewsMicroalgae and bacteria team up to convert CO2 into useful products
Most methods of genetically modifying the bacterium Escherichia coli and other microbes to convert carbon dioxide into useful biological products require additional carbon sources. A new study overcomes this limitation by combining the photosynthetic finesse of a single-celled algae with the production capabilities of the bacteria E. coli.
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NewsA borrowed bacterial gene allowed some marine diatoms to live on a seaweed diet
A group of diatom species belonging to the Nitzschia genus gave up on photosynthesis and now get their carbon straight from their environment, thanks to a bacterial gene picked up by an ancestor, a new study shows.
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FeaturesUnder the microscope: microalgae-based bioremediation
The rapid expansion of the global human population and the increase in industrial and agricultural activities have led to severe environmental contamination. To remedy the situation, green technology has become more prevalent in recent years due to its numerous environmental benefits.
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NewsStudy identifies viruses in red tide blooms for the first time
A new study identifies viruses associated with Karenia brevis, the single-celled organism that causes red tide. By testing water samples collected from red tide blooms, the researchers found several viruses in blooms — including one new viral species.
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NewsMagnetic microalgae on a mission to become robots
A team of researchers has developed a green algae-based biohybrid micro swimmer covered with magnetic material, whose swimming ability is largely unaffected by the coating.
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NewsA study identifies ‘surprising’ cause of sargassum blooms in the Caribbean
A group of interantional researchers identified the cause of sargassum blooms in the tropical Atlantic Ocean using computer modelling. They have modelled the ocean currents, wind pattern and the growth conditions that help them thrive in the region.
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NewsPresence of potentially toxic microalgae confirmed in La Concha Bay
The proliferation of the Ostreopsis ovata algae is no cause for alarm, but it is advisable to continue taking measurements, according to researchers.
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NewsResearchers pinpoint shared stress response network between long diverged algae and plants
A research team has compared algae and plants that span 600 million years of independent evolution and pinpointed a shared stress response network using advanced bioinformatic methods.
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NewsGreat whale pee funnel carries nutrients thousands of miles, boosting phytoplanktons
A new study shows that whales carry huge quantities of nutrients horizontally, across whole ocean basins, from rich, cold waters where they feed to warm shores near the equator where they mate and give birth.
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NewsToxic chemical pollutants detected in lichens and mosses in the Irati forest
Scientists used a species of lichen (Parmelia sulcata) and a species of moss (Hypnum cupressiforme) from Irati Forest as sentinels or biomonitors to determine the organic pollution in the atmosphere.