Course Details
942: SLIME: How Algae Made Our Planet and May Help Save It
February 3-6, 2020
11:45 AM -
1:15 PM
In-Person
Algae transformed the earth before we were even a gleam in evolution’s eye; they oxygenated the oceans and atmosphere, created our fossil fuels, and now feed us as well as much of the marine life we eat. We have transformed them into biofuels and put them in industrial products. But algae can choke our rivers, lakes, and oceans, creating huge dead zones and emitting poisonous toxins. In her book, SLIME: How Algae Created Us, Plague Us, and Just Might Save Us, author Ruth Kassinger tackles these issues and takes us on travel and diving expeditions around the world. She concludes with ways that algae may help save us from ourselves. We will read and discuss the book, and enjoy some visuals on the way.
Class Type: Lecture and Discussion
Class Format: TBA
Hours of Reading: 1-2 hours/session
Study Group Leader(s):
Elizabeth SeastrumBetsy Seastrum is a retired lawyer who worked as a volunteer at the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum, Department of Paleobiology, Graphics and FossiLabs, from 2005 to 2019. She has led many study groups in the field of evolution and paleobiology.
Reading List:
SLIME: How Algae Created Us, Plague Us, and Just Might Save Us (Ruth Kassinger) | 2019: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt | ISBN: 9780544432932 | Required