An accidental discovery by an LSU professor could help Mardi Gras “go green.” Every year tens of thousands of plastic beads end up on the street and eventually make their way to landfills. It’s not environmentally friendly, but that could change.  LSU Biological Sciences Professor Dr. Naohiro Kato has come up with an innovative way […]

Studio Eric Klarenbeek has found a method for turning industrial organic waste products such as potato starch and cocoa husks into biodegradable furniture and home accessories. The studio grows mycelium fungi for use as a coloring and binding agent that holds the bioplastics together once they are printed. Longer term, the company’s goal is to create […]

A graduating student from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Australia has invented seaweed food packaging, which could eliminate the need for plastic. The student, Jessica Zinga, invented an entirely renewable form of packaging: seaweed fish and chip containers. As part of the Sea Harvest, Zinga has produced the new container packaging using 100% […]

Two Iranian scientists have managed to produce special sweets for patients with diabetes using a special kind of seaweed. Delaram Nokhbeh Zare and Shahrokh Khani, two faculty members of Islamic Azad University of Bandar Abbas, in collaboration with the University’s Development Centre, succeeded in producing new sweets with a different taste for diabetic patients. These […]

Presented at the annual Chart Art Fair in Copenhagen, Space10’s Algae Dome comprised a four-metre-high wooden structure wrapped in 320 metres of coiled transparent plastic tubing flowing with green microalgae. The tubing created a semi-enclosed space for visitors to sit inside, while also acting as a photo-bioreactor to produce high quantities of microalgae via photosynthesis. With Algae […]

Chinese university researchers have announced that a common algae has been used to make biodegradable microrobots that could detect diseases in the human body as well as attack cancer cells. The microrobots were able to release substances that attacked cancer cells during its degradation process. The devices were created from spirulina algae, which are widely […]

London-based designer and engineer has designed a  living chandelier. Called the Exhale Chandelier, the design consists of custom-made glass ‘leaves’ that are populated with green algae, which absorb carbon dioxide from the air, while simultaneously providing extra oxygen for you to breathe. It’s kind of similar to an air-purifying houseplant, except that it’s integrated into a gorgeously made […]

Researchers from the Cornell-affiliated Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) and Texas A&M University have found an exciting new technology that may revolutionize the search for the perfect algal strain: algal droplet bioreactors on a chip. A single algal cell is captured in a tiny droplet of water encapsulated by oil and millions of algal droplets squeeze onto a chip about […]

The Algae Factory produces chocolate with spirulina, a cyanobacteria with a high content of protein, vitamins, Omega 3 and 6, and essential amino acids. Spirulina has been nominated by FAO “as a powerful tool to fight malnutrition” due to its complete nutritional profile. The company produces and sells chocolate bars with spirulina flakes inside them. They […]

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology have created a catalyst for biofuel production from algae using sand from Rajasthan, nickel and cobalt that cuts the price of production to half of that of fossil fuel. Many catalysts use expensive rare materials such as Rhodium that push up the price of production. The researchers say […]

ExxonMobil and Synthetic Genomics have announced that they have achieved a breakthrough where it is possible to maximize lipid content and also increase the growth of algae under nutrient deprived conditions. Nannochloropsis gaditana is used industrially for the production of oil. It is possible to increase the lipid content of the microalgae by starving it […]

The treatment of saline wastewater in the presence of organic content represents a challenge for many industrial sectors. SaltGae project aims to develop and demonstrate a techno-economically viable solution for the treatment of saline wastewater using algae. Moreover, this project will represent a case study for demonstration of SaltGae solutions to the cross-cutting barriers to […]

London based shoe company Vivobarefoot has partnered with performance materials manufacturer Bloom to manufacture algae based moulded shoes. The companies will be using freshwater algae to make EVA foams which will then be used in Vivobarefoot’s ultra-shoes. The ultra-shoes using Bloom technologies will be available for purchase online from July 2017. Started in 2015, Bloom […]

Research at Swansea University has discovered that UV protective algae could be used as a sustainable alternative to sunscreen. The natural products, found in the sea, have a high absorbance of damaging sun rays. The researchers found that algae have their own process of protecting themselves against the damaging ultra-violet rays.  With increasing evidence that some of the […]

A Dutch designer named Ritsert Mans has teamed up with his scientist friend Peter Mooji to create a very unconventional motorcycle. Peter Mooji grows algae for using it as an energy source. Mooji’s interest in algae inspired Ritsert Mans to develop a motorcycle that was fuelled by algae oil. He decided the build the thing almost […]

Here is a new and interesting exhibition at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Developed by Alison Hiltner, “It Is Yesterday” demonstrates the concept of carbon capture using algae. The main room is filled with clear plastic sacks hanging from wires. Each contains gallons of cyanobacteria. On one side is a microphone like apparatus, into which […]

Iowa State University has come up with a new technology that improves the efficiency of waste water reclamation. The new technology could be economical for small town waste water treatment. Conventional methods use bacterial process that result in sludge with a foul smell and disposal issues. But this new method uses vertical conveyor belts which […]

Scientists from US have designed a new photobioreactor system for optimal algae productivity at large volumes. The photobioreactor system comprises photobioreactor units that may be isolated from each other to reduce culture clashes, an array of diffused acrylic rods attached to the bottom of a removable acrylic circular top to provide more light into the […]

A young research scholar from Allahabad University has prepared a cookie from the green algae Spirulina. The tasty biscuits which have been patented were assessed in a food laboratory. After analysis, it was found that the biscuits had higher percentage of moisture, proteins, fat, crude fibre, ash, calcium, phosphorus and iron. Experimental results showed that […]

Marine Algal Research Station (MARS), in collaboration with Structural Engineering Research Station (SERC) has developed an improved method of seaweed farming by using triangular rafts which is an innovative design suitable for deep sea farming. The technique which is simple and cost effective has improved manoeuvrability and requires no specialised training for assembly. Preliminary studies […]

Algix LLC and Effekt have created the world’s first algae-derived flexible foams, produced in a patented process using Algix’s dried algae biomass which is GMO free and collected from waste streams across Asia and USA. The new flexible foam is to be sold under the brand name BLOOMTM and it will find its applications in footwear, […]

Suneris, a biotech company has developed an algae-based polymer called VetiGel that seals wounds instantly.  When injected into a wound site, the gel can form a clot that stops the bleeding within 12 seconds and permanently heals the wound within minutes. The gel contains algae-based polymers that acts as a sealant and expedite the clotting process. […]

Scientists at PNNL have created a new process for the production of biocrude oil from algae in a few minutes. The process uses heat and pressure to change the algae to biocrude oil by chemical and physical reactions. The biocrude can later be converted to aviation fuel, gasoline and diesel by using conventional refining technology. […]

The world’s first electric Grand Prix series will power its cars from algae glycerin. This attempt promises to promote the zero emission technologies. The generators will be powered by glycerin, which is a byproduct, in the production of biodiesel by salt water algae. The obtained fuel is nontoxic; and can also be used to power […]

William Driscol, Postdoctoral Research Associate I, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Tech Launch Arizona has found a solution to increase the ecological stability of biodiesel producing green algae. He found that co-culturing of certain bio control species can provide anti- predator and anti- competitive effects. This will improve the ecological stability. The production of algal cultures […]