Algae blooms have been haunting the city of Venice and its canals for hundreds of years. Historical records show that a 17 th century doge once sent 15,000 men with pitchforks to clear the slimy green plants from his lagoon. More recently in 1989, the city did not act quickly enough to clear its waters of a new invasive species of Asian algae, and as the bloom overran the seaport, it deoxygenated the water, decimating native populations of marine life, before decaying

itself. According to one biologist studying the phenomenon, the resulting yellow-brown scum spread up the Adriatic like “a cappuccino of cosmic proportions.” Another, less dramatic bloom occurred in 2006 as yet another species invaded the lagoon. When it comes to algae, the only thing that Venetian authorities can be certain of is the fact that this problem is not going away. Read more of this story »

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Venetian Algae Might Soon Supply Port’s Energy Needs