Fighting Toxic Algal Bloooms to Protect Our Oceans

CUNY Graduate Center

In this episode of The Thought Project podcast, Georgie Humphries, a Ph.D. candidate in Earth and Environmental Sciences at the CUNY Graduate Center, talks to science journalist and CUNY Newmark J-School graduate Saugat Bolakhe about her work to fend off toxic algal blooms. Humphries delves into the fascinating yet alarming world of phytoplankton – microscopic algae that produce up to 80% of the Earth’s oxygen and serve as the foundation of the marine food web. Certain species of phytoplankton, however, are behind harmful algal blooms. These blooms, which are being fueled by climate change and nutrient pollution, threaten marine life and human health, with consequences ranging from manatee deaths to water supply contamination. Humphries describes how she and fellow scientists at the Graduate Center’s Advanced Science Research Center are monitoring and addressing this growing scourge as they seek to preserve our oceans and protect public health. Listen in to learn more about how Graduate Center scientists are safeguarding our planet and its people.