Algal blooms are waging chemical warfare in our oceans

Microscopic algae in the ocean generate half the oxygen we breathe.

But off South Australia’s coast, these same organisms have unleashed a toxic bloom that’s closed beaches, shut down oyster farms and left marine life dead by the thousands.

When ocean chemistry tips out of balance, algae can flip from oxygen producers to chemical aggressors – and the damage can be swift, widespread and impossible to stop.

Algae, the engine of the ocean

Microalgae aren’t plants but like plants, they get their energy from the sun.

Powered by sunlight, microalgae convert CO₂ into sugars, amino acids and lipids that sustain...