Algae can be used as cement, and help injuries to heal. Coral reefs, too, could use a little support.
Enter a San Diego research team and its enticing new gel, comprising chemicals from crusty, calcareous algae. Their high levels of calcium carbonate attract coral larvae, which are essential for the growth and maintenance of reefs.
Encased in nanoparticles made of silica, the components were released from the gel on corals gradually underwater over a month.
Treatment with UV light also made the gel more resistant. In tests, larval settlement increased between six and twenty fold – depending on factors such as water flow levels.
Probiotics are also good for coral reefs; while new colonies are being created thanks to 3D printing.
