Lab Notes: How microscopic algae can devastate ocean life episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 3, 2025 · 13 MIN

Lab Notes: How microscopic algae can devastate ocean life

from The Science Show - Separate stories podcast · host Australian Broadcasting Corporation

A couple of months ago, a killer started mobilising off the South Australian shore — one that would wipe out marine life, make surfers feel sick, and smother picturesque beaches in thick foam.The culprit? A bloom of tiny organisms called microalgae. We can't see them with the naked eye, but in big enough numbers, they can devastate ecosystems.So what made the South Australian algal bloom so lethal, and can anything be done about blooms like it?

A couple of months ago, a killer started mobilising off the South Australian shore — one that would wipe out marine life, make surfers feel sick, and smother picturesque beaches in thick foam. The culprit? A bloom of tiny organisms called microalgae. We can't see them with the naked eye, but in big enough numbers, they can devastate ecosystems. So what made the South Australian algal bloom so lethal, and can anything be done about blooms like it?

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Lab Notes: How microscopic algae can devastate ocean life

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This episode was published on June 3, 2025.

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A couple of months ago, a killer started mobilising off the South Australian shore — one that would wipe out marine life, make surfers feel sick, and smother picturesque beaches in thick foam.The culprit? A bloom of tiny organisms called...

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