A Fighting Fungus

Only nature could produce an assassin like this.

Red Tides are a problem. Driven by the volatile collaboration of warming waters and nutrient-rich runoff, these algal blooms produce toxic chemicals that devastate marine life and threaten human health. Occurring globally—with severe impacts in the Gulf of Mexico (notably Florida), the California coast, the Gulf of Maine, Japan, the Philippines, and South America—these blooms are increasing in both frequency and intensity.

The Red Time courtesy of Science Direct

BUT! What if the most effective weapon against toxic coastal “red tides” was a microscopic parasite? A tide turning fighting fungus. Meet the “Alga Destroyer,” a newly discovered fungi that is rewriting the rules of marine survival…