A surprising discovery off the volcanic coast of Italy could fundamentally change our approach to carbon capture. Meet Chonkus, a cyanobacterium that grows rapidly and naturally sinks to the ocean floor.
What started as a simple expedition by international scientists near the Italian island of Vulcano turned into a major discovery. Wearing wetsuits, they collected water samples from a bubbling patch of ocean and found instead a peculiar, heavy, round cyanobacterium, affectionately called “Chonkus.” It may not have been a glamorous find, but this algae species had serious potential.
Chonkus is different from most algae, which tend to float on the surface. It grows rapidly in high-CO₂ conditions and then sinks to the ocean floor. For scientists looking for ways to capture excess carbon, this is a goldmine. Chonkus’ unique properties could make it a key player in industrial carbon sequestration.
The discovery of “fat” algae
The idea to find Chonkus came from Dr. Max Schubert, then at Harvard’s Wyss Institute, who wanted to study how photosynthetic organisms respond to an abundance of carbon. He and fellow Harvard alumnus Dr. Braden Tierney focused their research on the CO₂-rich waters at Vulcano, where natural volcanic vents provide an ideal breeding ground for hungry algae.
In this unique environment, they found Chonkus. Unlike most algae, which float freely in the water, Chonkus sinks like a green rock. “It was like having ‘green peanut butter’ in our hands,” Schubert joked. For the industry, this could mean significantly lower costs for concentrating and drying algae.
Back in the lab, Schubert and Tierney cultivated the algae under optimal conditions. Of the two varieties that emerged, UTEX 3222 stole the show. This algae strain produces large carbon-storing granules and has a higher carbon content than other cyanobacteria. Thanks to its natural sinking ability, Chonkus offers significant advantages for large-scale applications.
An algae with a future
The possibilities for Chonkus seem endless: from carbon sequestration and sustainable production of omega-3 fatty acids to nutritional supplements. Cyanobacteria like Chonkus can absorb and utilize CO₂ from their environment, a dream scenario for scientists. To help spread the word, Schubert and Tierney have made samples of UTEX 3222 available through the University of Texas. In the meantime, they have launched The Two Frontiers Project to discover more microorganisms with carbon capture properties.
Professor George Church, a distinguished professor at Harvard and MIT, emphasizes the importance of using such “superalgae responsibly.” “We need to ensure safety before we consider large-scale applications,” Church said. That means the team is working on strategies to prevent Chonkus from spreading unintentionally.
