Science Frontiers Showcased at Scripps

From prediction of algal blooms that could poison seafood to identification of subseafloor oil deposits to an effort for the military to borrow camouflage techniques from octopi, the cross-section of research presented at Scripps Institution of Oceanography Jan. 19 ran the gamut from practical to fantastical. Researchers presented a science showcase to Scripps supporters during a two-day meeting of institutional advisors. The emphasis was on projects from which society can derive direct benefit. Melissa Carter, a researcher in the Integrative Oceanography Division at Scripps, related the story of harmful algal blooms studies at the institution, which have taken place almost as long as the 108-year-old Scripps has been in existence. She described to an audience of about 75 how blooms of algae like Alexandrium can wreak havoc on populations of shellfish, birds, and marine mammals. The microorganisms also pose practical barriers to understanding, though, said Carter, adding that scientists are still trying to understand why they produce toxins sometimes but not always.