Algae: the new secret weapon of beauty

Ascophyllum, blader wrack, serrated wrack, aonori and nori are just a few of the many enigmatic names of algae, not only essential to a healthy marine ecosystem but also really good for our skin and hair. What are they? Alga defines a diverse group of photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms that includes the seaweeds and many single-celled forms. Scientists still have incomplete knowledge of how many different species of algae exist. Numbers range from ca. 75,000 up to 400,000 – coloured from red to green or brown, in micro size or up to 60 meters of length. Only around 160 species are used for industrial purpose. Algae live mainly in oceans and...