5 things you need to know about the Great Lakes weird new 'exploding algae' threat.
1. Scientists have just confirmed that a bizarre, never-before-seen type of algae is blooming in the Great Lakes, and it's spontaneously releasing small bursts of methane gas when disturbed, creating a popping or 'exploding' sound at the surface.
2. The phenomenon, nicknamed 'Lake Pop,' is concentrated near the western shore of Lake Erie, and researchers believe it is a direct result of unusually warm water temperatures mixing with high levels of agricultural runoff from this year's heavy rains.
3. Unlike the usual slimy green algae, this new organism appears as a patchy, orange-brown film; locals have reported it smells faintly like burnt plastic, and it has already been linked to a temporary spike in asthma-like symptoms in shoreline communities in Michigan and Ohio.
4. The 'explosions' themselves are not dangerous to humans unless you are directly touching a large pocket, but boats are being warned to avoid the patches because the methane bursts can momentarily foul engine intakes and cause stalls.
5. Federal researchers are now scrambling to isolate the organism, with early DNA tests hinting it may be a hybrid of a common algae and a soil microbe; experts say the biggest takeaway is that the Great Lakes ecosystem is transforming faster than anyone predicted.