Algae, considered as a biological substance, refers collectively to the biomass or biogenic material derived from photosynthetic, typically aquatic, non-vascular organisms encompassing microalgae (e.g., chlorophytes, diatoms, cyanobacteria in some usages) and macroalgae (seaweeds). This substance is characterized by high concentrations of pigments (such as chlorophylls, carotenoids, and phycobiliproteins), variable macromolecular composition (proteins, polysaccharides, lipids), and often substantial contents of structural or storage polysaccharides (e.g., starch, alginates, carrageenans). Algal biomass is studied as a feedstock for biorefinery applications, including biofuels, bioplastics, nutraceuticals, and as a source of specialized metabolites with defined biochemical and physicochemical properties.
It could be the plot of a summer sci-fi blockbuster: A creature feeds on its prey and inherits its "superpower." Only this is real.
Ecology
Jun 26, 2025
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A recent study has established a predictive framework for identifying the source populations of Chondria tumulosa, a cryptogenic red macroalga that has been rapidly overtaking coral reef ecosystems in Hawai'i's Papahānaumokuākea ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 24, 2025
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17
DTU researchers have developed an important coating for underwater drones and solar cell platforms. The coating will not adorn the drones in different colors, but rather act as a self-polishing layer that keeps algae and ...
Nanomaterials
Jun 4, 2025
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Across Africa, many rural communities face a growing sanitation crisis. Wastewater treatment systems, where they exist, are often old, overloaded, or broken. In some towns, untreated sewage flows directly into rivers, contaminating ...
Environment
Jun 2, 2025
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Microalgae of the species Monoraphidium contortum have the ability to remove antibiotic residues from water, especially sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim. This reduces the risk of environmental contamination, avoiding serious ...
Environment
May 19, 2025
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38
Our lungs are fairly susceptible to diseases. Unlike most other organs, the lungs are in direct contact with the outside world. When we breathe in, our lungs can also take in things besides the oxygen we need, including irritants, ...
Bio & Medicine
May 6, 2025
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51
In the warm summertime waters of Lake Erie, cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, can proliferate out of control, creating algal blooms that produce toxins at a rate that can harm wildlife and human health.
Environment
Apr 30, 2025
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58
A team of researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (MPI-IS) in Stuttgart developed a biohybrid micro swimmer covered with magnetic material, whose swimming ability is largely unaffected by the coating. ...
Bio & Medicine
Mar 17, 2025
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55
A team of researchers at the University of California, San Diego, has developed a green algae capsule for delivering chemotherapy drugs to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. In their study, published in the journal Science ...
