In France, designer Jérémy Lucas has created a 3D-printed surfboard using sargassum algae to draw attention to the potential for the design community to address environmental challenges such as plastics waste. Dubbed Paradoxal Surfboards, the boards use algae collected from Spain’s Ris Beach along with thermoplastics, thermosetting materials and biosourced fibers. A limited number of […]
In Japan, researchers from Hokkaido University have unpicked the mechanism behind a marine feeding strategy that could provide a valuable renewable source of biofuel. Their research has been published as a Reviewed Preprint in eLife, with the revised version appearing today. It is described by the editors as an important study providing convincing evidence on […]
In Chicago, architecture studio SOM and Prometheus Materials have created an installation made of algae bricks for the city’s Architecture Biennial. The bricks are an alternative to concrete, which has a very large environmental footprint, and are arranged in a spiral. “Echoing the shell-like material composition of the bio-cement, [we] conceived of a spiraling form […]
In the Netherlands, Corbion has launched AlgaPrime DHA P3 to meet demand for sustainable active nutrition in the pet food industry. Produced via microalgae precision fermentation, AlgaPrime™ DHA P3 offers an alternative to marine sources of omega-3 and has a better carbon footprint. It provides the highest level of DHA on the market in biomass […]
In Hong Kong, EEL Biofuels announced a groundbreaking advancement in renewable energy technology with the development of its revolutionary algae-based biofuels. This cutting-edge technology is poised to revolutionize the energy sector by providing a game-changing alternative to traditional fossil fuels. Through years of intensive research and development, EEL Biofuels has unlocked the full potential of […]
In Missouri, international team of researchers led by the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center has made a groundbreaking discovery in the world of developmental biology. In their latest study on volvocine green algae, the scientists identified a new gene, named VSR1, that plays a vital role in the activation of genes specific to the development of female […]
In Utah, ski and snowboard manufacturer WNDR Alpine has launched an activewear line made from algae. Called the Phase Series, the clothing comes after WNDR—a subsidiary of biotech firm Checkerspot—found success manufacturing skis and snowboards with cores made from AlgalTech®, Checkerspot’s proprietary microalgae-derived, high-performance material. The apparel is produced using miDori® bioWick WA, a wicking, […]
In California, a new book on algae-based biodegradable plastics showcases UC San Diego student research and the monumental potential it has to change consumerism on a global scale. Researchers at UC San Diego have spent many years developing a biodegradable plastic alternative made from algae. This algae-based polymer has already been used to make surfboards, […]
In Massachusetts, wax that is derived from a commonly grown marine microalga could be the next big thing in cosmetics and personal care products, thanks to a recent license agreement between the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), Western Washington University (WWU)—which jointly own the patents—and Upwell Cosmetics, a start-up materials company founded in Woods Hole, […]
In Brazil, the Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) said a group of researchers from Brazil’s State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) have cultivated microalgae in a laboratory setting under carefully controlled conditions. Their primary aim was to harness the metabolites, particularly lipids, produced by these microorganisms to create biofuels. Luisa Fernanda Ríos, one of the authors […]
