Algae and Last Week's News and Research

Algae are a group of mainly photosynthetic protists—organisms that are not plants, animals, or fungi. They encompass a diverse range of life, from single-celled phytoplankton—responsible for about half the oxygen in Earth's atmosphere—to multicellular kelps, which form underwater forest habitats. By converting sunlight into chemical energy, algae serve as the foundational layer of food chains in virtually all aquatic ecosystems.

> Why kelp, sea moss, and other plantlike organisms are algae, not plants. (More)
> The algae that make up kelp forests can grow as much as two feet per day. (More)

The more than 60,000 documented species of algae are classified based on characteristics such as size, cellular structure, and color. Green algae possess pigments such as chlorophyll in proportions similar to those of land plants, which share a common ancestor with them. Red algae's pigments reflect red light and absorb blue light, allowing them to survive in deeper ocean environments where the latter penetrates. Diatoms, the largest category of algae, are known as the "jewels of the sea" for their intricate shapes and silica cell walls resembling opal.

> Green algae have lived on Earth for about twice as long as plants. (More)

> Why do different colors of light penetrate to different depths? (More)

> Rock made of fossilized diatoms is used to filter beer, wine, and other liquids. (More)

Algae have been used in fertilizers and biofuels, as sources of thickening and stabilizing agents for cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, and as ingredients in foods and supplements. Some algae can pose health risks to organisms by producing toxins or overwhelming an environment's resources through rapid population growth, known as algal blooms.

> Blue-green algae—often associated with algal blooms—are bacteria, not algae. (More)

> The world's largest algal bloom stretches from the Caribbean to West Africa. (More)

Discover more: 

> Critical minerals can be collected from ocean water using seaweed. (More)

> Algae-derived molecules are found in foods like ice cream, salad dressings, and brownie mix. (More)

> The "mermaid's wineglass," an algae discovered in the Indian Ocean, is one of the largest known single-celled organisms. (More)

In partnership with EnergyX

The US Army’s First-of-its-Kind Lithium Deal

For the first time in history, the U.S. Army is placing a commercial lithium processing facility on military land. They just picked their company to build and operate it.

EnergyX won a conditional lease at Texas’ Red River Army Depot to process lithium. Crucial to next-gen military power systems, the defense sector joins AI, EVs, robotics, and more as drivers of demand for this critical mineral. The project connects directly to Project Lonestar, EnergyX's flagship Texas operation and the largest lithium production demo plant of its kind in the United States.

In total, EnergyX’s project portfolio spans nearly 150,000 acres with up to 15M+ tons of untapped lithium. General Motors, POSCO, Eni, and 50,000+ everyday people have already invested. Join them as an EnergyX shareholder before the July 16 investment deadline.*

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News in Context 

1440 brings you the knowledge and context behind the week's stories:

NASA's Cold Atom Lab upgraded to support new quantum research in microgravity. (More)

> In the lab, astronauts use lasers to take energy away from and slow down atoms.

> See the machine used in the quantum lab aboard the International Space Station.

Climate.gov site relaunched as nonprofit climate.us after government site was shut down. (More)

> View the site's tools, interactives, maps, and climate data.

> How do scientists determine what the climate was like before anyone was around to collect data?

Colossal Biosciences partnered with the US government to sequence the genomes of over 2,300 endangered species. (More)

> Watch an animation of how genetic information is sequenced. (More)

> What makes a species vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered? (More)

Valve's Steam Machine video game console ships on June 29 and costs "significantly more" than the company intended. (More)

> The rapid expansion of data centers has driven up the cost of computer parts since last year. (More)

> Why AI data centers rely on technology originally designed for video games. (More)

Research Spotlight

Like all great researchers, we love spending time learning about the latest breakthroughs across science and technology. Here's what we found this week.

More than 75% of pet food for dogs, cats, and wild animals contains microplastics.

University of Sussex | Imogen Harris. An analysis of 38 pet food products in the UK found higher concentrations of microplastics in cheaper "value range" products and dry food. Researchers did not analyze potential implications for pet health, but noted that the resulting pet excretions may contaminate soil with microplastics. (More)

> Watch how dry dog food is manufactured. (More)

> Farmland fertilized by sewage sludge has introduced microplastics into human food chains. (More)

Japan permanently shifted eastward due to the 2011 magnitude 9.0 earthquake.

University of Chicago | Louise Lerner. An analysis of the earthquake suggests seismic waves traveled down to Earth's core before reflecting back up to the surface, displacing the island by up to six millimeters. It is the first time the phenomenon has been identified as causing tectonic plates to slip near the Earth’s surface. (More)

> Seismic waves reveal Earth's internal structure and the presence of a core. (More)

> Some tremors have produced boomerang earthquakes in the opposite direction. (More)

Oil refining can be made less resource-intensive through membrane separation.

Georgia Tech | Brad Dixon. In collaboration with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, scientists discovered that a membrane material could selectively separate crude oil into lighter and heavier fractions, potentially reducing the energy, water, and carbon footprint of the traditional distillation process. (More)

> See an animation of how crude oil is separated in a distillation tower. (More)

> Learn how crude oil is processed after distilling to create petroleum products. (More)

Crushed concrete is able to store radioactive strontium from nuclear facilities. 

University of Manchester | Jessica Marsh. Researchers found that concrete can become a stable, long-term sink for strontium-90 once exposed to air or treated with phosphate. While concrete normally forms calcium carbonate when it reacts with carbon dioxide, strontium can substitute for calcium, locking it in the mineral. (More)

> Concrete is made of four ingredients, including cement. (More) 

> How is nuclear waste currently disposed of? (More)

In partnership with EnergyX

The 1,700%+ Lesson From SpaceX’s IPO

Three days after SpaceX IPO'd, they became the 6th-most valuable public company. Those who bought at the open saw 40% gains. a16z, in since 2023, was up 1,700%+. The lesson? Today’s biggest growth can come at the private stage.

This dynamic is playing out in lithium, and EnergyX is giving retail investors a seat. Their patented tech recovers up to 3X more lithium than usual methods. Great timing. Demand’s projected to grow 5X by 2040. Now they’re tapping into up to 15M+ tons. Invest in EnergyX by 7/16.*

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Etcetera 

> Espresso can be made with room-temperature water using sound waves.

> Why algorithms might deny credit card transactions, even when you have available credit.

> Fleas spread it, but volcanoes may have been what first triggered the Black Death.

> How astronomers determine how much planets, stars, and other objects weigh in space.

> Butter and margarine are both at least 80% fat, but how are they chemically different?

> Hoarfrost is the freezing of water vapor into feathery, bladelike crystals and is a key contributor to avalanches.

> Explore a map of how the world has gained and lost tree cover since 2000.
 

> ... and watch a time-lapse of a pinecone seed transform into a pine tree.

> Why do smartwatches have a flashing green light?
 

> Off the northern coast of Australia, a storm nicknamed Hector the Convector appears almost every day at 3 pm during the rainy season.

> The average color of the universe is referred to as "cosmic latte."

> View a timeline of technological innovations since 1500.