this post was submitted on 11 Nov 2023
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I actually helped research this as an undergrad. The problem we'd always face is there are certain microorganisms, like rotifers, that can just decimate a tank of algae. Many rotifer species are parthenogenic, so it literally only takes one rotifer to knock out an entire algae tank.
What if we genetically modified the algae to be impossible to kill and survive in extreme conditions. Like the algae equivalent of kudzu.
Now coming to everyone soon: algae world! All algae all the time! Covered in slime? That's worth a dime! There is no escaping it, not even a bit.
It'll be fine.
If it gets out of hand we'll just engineer an equally hardy and aggressive rotifer to kill all the algae.
You're basically exchanging a world-ending Gray Goo Scenario for a world-ending Green Goo Scenario.