098: Brilliant Planet - Harnessing the Power of Algae in the Desert with Dr. Raffael Jovine

Raffael Jovine trained in molecular biophysics and biochemistry at Yale, did his PhD in marine sciences at UC Santa Barbara, and completed research at MIT. In 2013, he founded and is now chief scientist of Brilliant Planet, a company that uses seawater, sunlight, and wind to grow food in coastal deserts, replicating algal blooms. He is married with five children and lives in London.

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In this episode Marjorie and Raffael discuss:

• The ideal environment for algae to bloom
• How growing algae in the sand creates multiple opportunities for coastal desert communities
• The importance of partnerships when solving hyper-local climate challenges
• Dr. Jovine’s new book How Light Makes Life: The Hidden Wonders and World-Saving Powers of Photosynthesis (publisher link)

Resources mentioned in today's episode:

• Rachel Carson
• Beatrice Sweeney
• Peter Wohlleben
• NASA Earth Observatory
• Race for Tomorrow: Survival, Innovation and Profit on the Front Lines of the Climate Crisis by Simon Mundy (affiliate link)
• Dune by Frank Herbert and backstory
• The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

Connect with Raffael and the Brilliant Planet Team:

• Website: https://www.brilliantplanet.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raffael-jovine-3b109b235/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/brilliantplanet/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrillPlanet

Connect with Marjorie Alexander:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asustainablemind/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/SustainableMind
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/asustainablemind/
• Website: http://www.asustainablemind.com

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