Toxic blue-green algae blooms (cyanobacteria) are a persistent issue affecting Australia's water sources. It's a naturally occurring issue that concerns us all – but the scale can be difficult to comprehend. That's where educational radio comes in.

This clip from CSIRO's national education radio series Sci Files features Leanne Scott interviewing microbiologist Kim Ferguson from the Australian Water Quality Centre. Demonstrating the enduring dedication of Australian researchers to public education, the conversation boosts citizen awareness through accessible explanations of environmental science.

Scott's casual and direct questioning style clarifies the urgent issues directly facing the public, while also highlighting the hard work of scientists and researchers who are devising solutions to manage water quality. An approachable format allows Ferguson to discuss methods of DNA analysis and 'early warning systems' to a broad audience that may be intimidated by scientific jargon.

Although recorded in 2001, the discussion remains relevant, illustrating the ongoing scientific challenges of monitoring and mitigating ecological damage caused by algal blooms – a problem now exacerbated by climate change.

Image: Blue-green algae in Sullivans Creek, Canberra, 1992. Photograph: Gregory Heath, CSIRO