A local television news segment is responsible for inspiring Horticulture instructor Rox Oleson to add a new lesson in her spring semester Hydroponic Growing & Systems class.

After watching “3 Brilliant Minutes”, a segment by WBAY-TV’s Brad Spakowitz about algae as a possible food source for the world’s growing population, Rox and her students decided to explore the idea further.

The class grew blue-green algae known as Spirulina, harvested it and conducted a taste test by adding the protein-rich algae to fruit smoothies. The rest was dried and will be used as a natural dye for Horticulture Club t-shirts in the future.

How did it all turn out? See the students’ experiment highlighted here >> 3 Brilliant Minutes: Algae, it’s what’s for dinner