TECHNOLOGY
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“ Micro-algae could combat malnutrition , replace soy protein used in livestock feed and reduce associated deforestation , boost air quality through carbon capture and oxygen production , and help clean wastewater ”
beef farming being no less apparent , there are serious questions about how we can feed our ever-expanding populations sustainably both now and in the future . Algae provides a credible means to ease the strain , with Space10 being one company pioneering research into its viability . The IKEAdedicated independent research and design lab has developed an ‘ Algae Dome : a four-metre tall wooden pavilion which contains a photo-bioreactor .
The result is a closed-loop system capable of producing vast quantities of micro-algae , one of the fastest-growing organisms on Earth . According to Space10 , it can double its volume in as little as six hours . At scale , this method of cultivation could be an answer to the aforementioned issues facing algal biofuel and carbon fibre production . As a food source , micro-algae is remarkable in itself . High in nutrients , vitamins and proteins , micro-algae
JANUARY 2020