Science: Captive Red Tide

When the waters off Florida's west coast were infested by the dreaded "red tide" nine years ago, fish died by the million and lay in" stinking windrows on the beaches. The spray of the poisoned surf inflamed human throats and lungs. Tourists deserted the hotels, schools were closed, beach areas evacuated. Although scientists knew that the tide was caused by poisonous microorganisms called dinoflagellates, nobody knew what made the organisms bloom so suddenly.

Researchers in Manhattan's Haskins Laboratories now think they have the answer. When Microbiologists Luigi Provasoli and S. H. Hutner started...

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