Meet Natalie Muro, 18-year-old Colorado student who used an invasive plant to fight algal blooms

Natalie Muro (William J. Palmer High School Colorado Springs, CO) An 18-year-old student from Colorado Springs has developed a sustainable floating device that uses wind-driven wave energy and a local invasive weed to remove toxic algal blooms from freshwater lakes. Natalie Muro, a senior at William J. Palmer High School, tested her prototype in a local reservoir that had been closed to the public because of a severe outbreak of toxic blue-green algae. Her field tests showed that the device removed nearly all of the targeted cyanobacteria while also trapping dead cell material that could otherwise fuel future blooms. The project earned Muro a national finalist position in the 2026 Regeneron Science Talent Search, the oldest and most prestigious high school science and mathematics competition in the United States, run by the Society for Science.Harnessing waves and invasive weedsHarmful algal blooms happen when toxin-producing cyanobacteria grow rapidly in warm water containing high levels of agricultural runoff. The resulting algae can threaten drinking water supplies, kill aquatic wildlife and make people and domestic animals sick. Common treatments, such as copper sulfate, can al...