Ruth Kassinger’s Slime is a much needed exploration on how algae can help humanity as our addiction to fossil fuel is fuelling climate change and warming the waters of our oceans. Along the way there are basic botanical lessons on the ubiquitousness of algae and how other plant life evolved from them. Far exceeding in its scope than just sea weed burgers and algae pigments to colour our unicorn lattes, Kassinger travels the breadth of the world to bring curious stories from Korean seaweed farmers hoping to increase the world’s consumption of seaweed to American entrepreneurs extracting algae oil that could work as a fossil fuel replacement (we’re still decades away from that prospect, but still the thought gives hope). Written with interesting historical anecdotes and peppered with nuggets of information on the latest technological advances (such as shoes made with algal plastic) the book is hopeful about what algae can do for us as we go about damaging the planet. A very interesting read.

PS: received an advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.