3. The Vibrating Blob
A few orders up the chain of evolution from the fungi – but not all that many, consider tunicates, the vibrating blob. No, it’s not a garment you wear to a fraternity toga party. No, not what you use in case of a snake bite. It’s a small, tubular, jellyesque, prolifically reproducing marine family that lives just about wherever marine bacteria and algae are found.
Some of them look more like purple and orange vibrating blobs – the marine equivalent of a purposeless loafer living off the national bounty and the public dole. Ah, but they are the only animals that produce cellulose – and no lignin, either — and they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which people and fish both need but do not synthesize. It makes them a potential alternative for biofuels production and as a feed ingredient for farmed fish. Dried tunicates contain 60 per cent protein. Perhaps just as importantly, salmon find them tasty.
Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse
