Chlamydomonas pacifica algae growing in an outdoor pond
Joan Vitor Dutra Molino
A newly discovered species of algae has been genetically engineered and modified to survive and produce fuel in environments that would kill most other living organisms, marking a step towards using algae-based “biofactories” to create sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels.
This new species is Chlamydomonas pacificawas discovered in a pond at the University of California, San Diego in 2020. This genetically modified strain can produce oil when grown in wastewater at temperatures above 40 °C (104 °F) and a pH above 11.
