Seaweed forms spectacular underwater forests that matter enormously for ocean life and the climate. This talk looks at what seaweed and algae really are, and how they differ from plants and animals. The speakers also explore how seaweed is grown both in the sea and on land.
Seaweed has been used by people everywhere for food, feed, fertiliser, gunpowder and materials. Today it is often presented as a solution to the climate, food and biodiversity crises, so the talk asks how much of that promise holds up. It also covers sustainable uses of seaweed in the future, and includes a tasting that takes the audience into seaweed flavours.
This is an updated version of a talk first given in autumn 2020. It is streamed live from Aarhus University as part of the public natural science lecture series.
