From Lab to Life: Algae, Red Tide, and What's on Your Plate

How can what's happening in the ocean directly affect the environment, the food we eat, and our health? In this episode, the "After the Fact" team travels to San Francisco to hear about harmful algal blooms (or "red tides"), which occur when certain algae grow out of control and create dangerous toxins. The effects of these blooms can harm the health of humans and marine life and affect the livelihoods of people living in coastal communities. Matthew Gribble — an environmental health scientist at the University of California, San Francisco — dives into the research behind these harmful algal blooms and shares ways that the health of people, wildlife, and the ocean are all interconnected. We also hear from a fisher about how the red tides can shorten or delay the fishing season, as well as people who rescue marine mammals that have been poisoned by these toxins.