These organisms are more than just green slime - they have shaped human history and will go on to protect our future
You can find algae almost anywhere you can find water, from magnificent giant kelp forests rising from the ocean floor to the thin green film resting on a shallow pond. Over millions of years they have evolved to survive in the most extreme environments: deep within the ice of the Arctic, around acidic ocean vents and in lava flows. Even in puddles, within the bark of trees, and inside droplets of dew on grass in the morning, microscopic algae diatoms will be thriving – they are masters of survival.
Algae have shaped life on our planet, and without them many of the species alive today wouldn’t exist. Entire ocean ecosystems rely on them as a source of food, and over half of the oxygen we breathe comes from these remarkable organisms. Algae even play a role in the formation of clouds.
Throughout human history they have sustained us through famines and provided our species with medicine and nutrition. Today, having harnessed the power of algae, we use them in everything from food and pharmaceuticals to cosmetics and fuel. They are arguably the most important organisms in the world, but could they offer us even more in the future? Around the world people are looking towards algae to provide solutions to some of our planet’s greatest challenges.
WHAT ARE ALGAE?
Algae are a genetically diverse group of over 48,000 different species. They come from a wide range of different evolutionary lineages that can’t be truly classified as animals or plants. As a result they are lumped into a group known as protists – a category for predominantly single-celled living organisms that don’t fit into any other. They are also ancient – fossil records indicate that red algae date back at least 1.6 billion years.
This story is from the Issue 111 edition of How It Works.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Issue 111 edition of How It Works.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
WHAT IS THE SMELL OF RAIN?
After rainfall, this distinctive aroma is released from the soil
Galileo's GREATEST DISCOVERIES
Peer into the mind of this trailblazing astronomer and discover his pioneering observations
WHY JUPITER'S GREAT RED SPOT IS VANISHING
Jupiter’s complex weather system is sapping its famous red spot at an alarming rate. And scientists predict the feature could vanish within our lifetimes
HOW ARE CARS RECYCLED?
Step into one of the UK’s largest car recycling centres to discover the secrets of a vehicle disassembly line
INSECT INSPIRATION
Why flies have had an impact on science
WHY WE NEED FLIES
They’re some of the strangest and most reviled insects on the planet, but they’re also incredibly useful
WHERE DOES YOUR POO GO?
Following the flush, your body’s waste undergoes a long journey as it’s prepped to return safely to the environment
HOW DIALYSIS MACHINES WORK
These lifesaving devices take over the role of failing kidneys
WHAT IF THERE WAS NO GRAVITY?
How this fundamental force controls the way things move on Earth and throughout the universe
Fungi seem to 'sweat' to stay cool
Mushrooms, and possibly all fungi, have the ability to cool down by ‘sweating’ away water