See giant algae from the universe

As the temperature rises, giant algae appear again, creating huge green patches on the surface of France's Biscay Bay.

Giant algae in Biscay Bay on 4/5 in a satellite image. (Photo: NASA)

Two satellites Terra and Aqua of the US Aerospace Agency (NASA) captured the scene of giant algae floating on France's Biscay Bay on May 4.

The explosion of algae brings a large amount of food to a wide range of organisms - from zooplankton to whales. Through photosynthetic activity, algae turns sunlight and carbon dioxide into sugars.

Sometimes they can cause a lot of trouble. Some algae can cause "red tide" and create nerve toxins. Humans and animals can get sick or die if they are infected with them. When the algae sink, they decompose and suck in the oxygen that causes the aquatic animals to die because there is no oxygen. The waters are no longer oxygenated because algae will become "dead zones".

But large algae clusters also bring many positive environmental impacts. A study last year demonstrated that clusters of algae absorb about one-third of the carbon dioxide that humans emit into the atmosphere every year because of burning fossil fuels (such as coal, gasoline, and oil).

A series of pigments creates the color of the algae. For example, the Coccolithophores algae have milk color.