They might not sound so tasty, but tiny organisms related to the green scum you might find in your bird bath or swimming pool could be a regular part of your menu in the not-too-distant future, as I discuss in my latest Technologist feature.

Microalgae (a blanket term covering “true” single-celled eukaryotic algae, and prokaryotic cyanobacteria, such as Nostoc commune, pictured above) are being investigated as possible solutions to impending problem of feeding the world’s population, set to peak at 9 billion by 2050.

You can already buy edible microalgae in health food shops and may already have unwittingly consumed products made from them: blue Smarties, for example, are made with an extract of the cyanobacterium Spirulina,

I have to confess I haven’t yet sampled any microalgal products, but plan to get some Spirulina powder next time I pass a health food shop. Anyone got a good recipe?

                                                                    Photo: Lairich Rig CCA-SA 2.0