Research: Bioreactors bubble comfortably

830 species of algae live in the genetics laboratory at the University of Hamburg – a collection that is unique in the world. Without algae, humanity cannot survive. Now volunteers are supposed to help breed them.

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Algae are not only annoying, they are also important: they produce 40 percent of the oxygen on earth. The University Museum in Hamburg devotes itself to the topic of algae with its “Laboratory for the Future” project and offers workshops for those interested. The microalgae collection at Klein Flottbek is one of the largest in Germany and specializes in Zygnematophycea, the ancestors of today’s land plants. Researchers such as Abdelfatah Abomohra are working to use algae in various ways, for example for textile production or as fertilizer. This project is intended not only to make science real, but also to create understanding for basic research and sensitize the next generation to environmental issues.

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The microalgae Micrasterias thomasiana, magnified many times here, is slightly thicker than a human hair.
© Image.: V. Schwekendiek/UHH (L)

Algae is a nuisance. It’s the oily film in an aquarium, the green carpet in an upside-down pool, the slimy growth of a beach vacation. However, these things are also one of the reasons why humans can live on earth. It is estimated that algae makes up less than one percent of global biomass, but produces around 40 percent of the oxygen in the atmosphere. Without algae, this would be no fun for us. Then should we be more grateful to them? Or: at least a little interested in them?