Scientists discover first algae that can fix nitrogen — thanks to a tiny cell structure

A Braarudosphaera bigelowii cell magnified 1,000-fold.Credit: Tyler Coale Researchers have discovered a type of organelle, a fundamental cellular structure, that can turn nitrogen gas into a form that is useful for cell growth. The discovery of the structure, called a nitroplast, in algae could bolster efforts to genetically engineer plants to convert, or ‘fix’, their … Read more

‘Algae recycled into energy’: How one of Europe’s largest data center firms wants to harness heat from GPUs and others to grow sustainable marine flora — but will it be worth it?

Data centers produce a lot of waste heat that could one day be recycled and used to heat millions of homes. Now, French data center company Data4 has partnered with the University of Paris-Saclay to launch a project that aims to use data center heat to grow algae, which can then be recycled into energy. … Read more