Algae

While greenhouses produce wastewater, microalgae-growing operations require a source of water – which is scarce in many regions. A new project aims to address both problems, by growing water-purifying algae in readily available greenhouse runoff.

It has long been known that insects such as bees help plants reproduce, by spreading pollen from one plant to another. Now, however, a similar arrangement has been discovered in the undersea world – involving red algae and tiny crustaceans.

Whether they're in cars, buildings or airplanes, most of today's noise-blocking acoustic tiles are made of petrochemical-derived foam. A more eco-friendly alternative may be on the way, however, in the form of seaweed-derived membranes.

Beautifully designed, energy-generating bio-panels that suck up carbon dioxide and pump out biomass for use as fuel or fertilizer – that's the idea behind Mexican startup Greenfluidics and its nanotech-enhanced microalgae bioreactor building panels.

Microalgae is already being used as a fish-free alternative to the fish feed commonly used in aquaculture operations. Taking things a step further, scientists are now looking at using the plant-like organisms to replace the prawns eaten by humans.

As the number of electronic devices grows, we have to get creative with our energy sources. Cambridge researchers have now demonstrated how an algae energy harvester can use sunlight to power a microprocessor for over a year without any intervention.

While many people love the taste of smoked salmon, not everyone is comfortable with wild fish being netted, nor with captive fish being farmed. Such folks may be in luck, as a new smoked salmon substitute is in the works – and it's made of algae.

Direct air carbon capture is currently far too costly – but this London company says it can do it at enormous scale for a tenth the price, using engineered algal blooms in ponds located near desert coastlines. Oh, and it'll de-acidify the ocean, too.

Discarded shoes are a particularly bulky form of waste, with their molded rubber soles joined to often synthetic uppers. Blueview shoes reportedly offer a greener alternative, however, as they're claimed to completely biodegrade once thrown away.

The processing of foods typically generates a lot of wastewater, which has to be cleaned up before being released back into local waterways. According to new research, however, that water could first be put to use as a very effective fertilizer for farmed seaweed.

Palm oil is a very widely-used food ingredient, but its production has a huge environmental impact, plus it may not be entirely healthy to consume. A greener, "lower-fat" alternative could be on the way, however, in the form of oil produced by algae.

Scientists have long studied the abilities of photosynthetic bacteria that turn sunlight, carbon dioxide and water into energy, and by giving these communities a home likened to a high-rise apartment block, a team has broken new ground in this space.