The lake is said to retain an excellent record of past climate change which can be inferred from the types and abundance of algae and other organic matter found in its bed muds.

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Instead of growing its algae in sunlit ponds it keeps them in the dark and feeds them with sugar.

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Other Solazyme strains are being produced for cosmetics and the company signed an agreement with Unilver to use its algae oil in consumer products.

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The all-pervasive sea water still left its mark, seeping into the frames and discoloring them with salt stains and algae.

CNN: March 11, 2013 -- Updated 1910 GMT (0310 HKT)