Algae are uni- and multicellular little plants that grow in water. Many are edible, and have a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. They fill many other humble roles, like filtering fertilizer run-offs and solidifying Jell-O for us.
But would you swim in a thick, vibrant carpet of algae?
These blooms are most often caused by industrial and agricultural run-off, and they starve and suffocate the ocean life beneath them. They are an ecological disaster, and, in my opinion, incredibly gross.