Oceanographic biophysicist, DMCS Professor, and EOAS member Dr. Paul Falkowski recently co-authored a study that found that phytoplankton in the ocean may not be as efficient at producing food from sunlight as what was previously thought. In fact, the study concluded that phytoplankton produce a surprisingly low amount of food from photosynthesis, and instead produce more heat than actual food during the process. Read More
The paper that was published in Science that resulted in the above article, entitled “The Fate of Photons Absorbed by Phytoplankton in the Global Ocean” can be found here.
Dr. Falkowski also recently published a book on the history of microbes on Earth and their contribution to making the planet inhabitable for all species. More information and a preview of the book can be found here.
