Algae might not feature in many natural history documentaries but they play an essential role in maintaining life on earth as well as forming a large part of the world’s biodiversity. The links below take you to some videos where British Phycological Society members and algal video bursary award winners explain why they find algae so fascinating.
Algal video bursary award recipients
Join our recipients of the British Phycological Society’s Algal Video Bursary award as they communicate the wonderful world of algae.
Algal Pigments by Eleanor Wood
This video is all about pigments and the amazing colours that we can extract from microalgae!
Phycological Research in Scotland by Sarah Kate Read
Come explore the world of algae research in Scotland through interviews with three PhD students, studying very different topics.
Synthetic Biology PhD student;
Serious about algae for sustainability
For the love of algae by Lucie Novoveska
This movie explores 3 questions: What are the opportunities for budding phycologists? What are the examples of phycology careers, especially for women? And finally, what inspires us to work with algae?
Culture collections are the best by Catherine Ribeiro
The importance of microalgae culture collections for taxonomy, ecology, and biotechnology, explained by leading scientists in the field.
Other videos about the fascinating world of algae
Window into the world of seaweeds
Natural History Museum seaweed specialist Juliet Brodie describes the mysterious world of kelp forests.
Slimewatch
Filmmaker Susi Arnott explores the algal that “commute” on the tides in the River Thames in central London.
Magical (Muddy) Moments
Graham Underwood, from the University of Essex, explains his fascination with the microscopic algae that live in intertidal mud
The Hidden World of Freshwater Algae
Freshwater ecologist Martyn Kelly talks about the diversity of freshwater algae found in the streams and lakes of northern England
How will ocean acidification affect “nuisance” seaweed species? Jason Hall-Spencer and Rohan Allan from the University of Plymouth talk about how global warming may change the distribution of seaweeds.
Life in the extreme Anne Jungblut from the Natural History Museum talks about her research on microscopic algae growing at the North and South Poles.
Plastics in our ecosystems Claire Passarelli and Graham Underwood from the University of Essex talks about the unexpected ways that tiny plastic particles can affect aquatic ecosystems.
Seaweeds: a hidden habitat under threat
Juliet Brodie and Jo Wilbraham of the Natural History Museum talk us through the stages by which the seaweeds they collected became a new display.
BPS 2022 Public Lecture – The Structure and Function of Kelp Forests in a Rapidly Changing World
“The Structure and Function of Kelp Forests in a Rapidly Changing World” by Dr Dan Smale & Prof. Pippa Moore.
The Hidden World of Diatoms – In Conversation with Emanuela Samaritani
In this short interview with Martyn Kelly, Emanuela Samartiani explains where her fascination with microscopic life comes from, and why she decided to become an author.
Pink Maerl and Salmon Farms – Jason Hall Spencer in the Highlands
PROFESSOR JASON HALL SPENCER is a world leader in scientific research on maerl – a precious pink seaweed which is a keystone species on the west coast of Scotland – and beyond.
