Catholicate College discovers Interfilum shuklaii named after Shubhanshu Shukla
Technology
Researchers from Catholicate College just discovered a new green alga, Interfilum shuklaii, in the forests of Kerala's Western Ghats.
It's the first time this genus has been spotted in India, and they named it after Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, a test pilot and astronaut with the Indian Air Force.
Binoy T Thomas highlights potential uses
The discovery was published in an international journal and shines a light on how much biodiversity is still hidden in the Western Ghats.
Binoy T Thomas says this alga could be useful for things like carbon capture, eco-friendly fertilizers, and even space life-support systems.
The same team had previously found another new alga here, showing there's plenty more to explore in these unique forests.