ALGAE HUNTERS’ HELL: PENGUIN POOP AND LEOPARD SEALS

ALGAE HUNTERS’ HELL: PENGUIN POOP AND LEOPARD SEALS

WORCESTER, Mass. (Wireless Flash) – Spending a week surrounded by penguin poop doesn’t sound like fun – but Brian Duval isn’t raising a stink. Duval is a professional “algae hunter” who travels the world collecting algae for scientists who use it in new pharmaceuticals – and he says the snow found around penguin poop is filled with the stuff. In fact, next month, the 41-year-old environmental analyst will visit Antarctica’s penguin territory to gather samples of red, green and orange algae, which reportedly have cancer-fighting properties. Duval says scientists want Antarctic algae because it’s been exposed to more ultraviolet radiation than other types. Although he only needs a beer cooler full of algae, collecting it won’t be as easy as it sounds because leopard seals who live in the area attack people who get too close to the water.

Fri 11-02-01