The color of the world is changing: A new sign of climate change

NASA has stated that more than half of the planet's oceans have turned from blue to green over the last 20 years due to the effects of gradual warming. Emphasizing that this color change is a sign of climate change, scientists stated that this situation is linked to the disruption of the ecosystem.

BB Cael, a scientist at the National Oceanography Centre and author of the study, said, "The reason we care about this is that the color change is a reflection of changes in the state of the ecosystem."

Studies suggest that although the exact cause of the color change has not yet been confirmed, it is likely plankton-related. Plankton forms the basis of the marine food chain and plays a balancing role in the atmosphere while producing a large portion of the oxygen on Earth.

Scientists examined the changes in color to get a clearer idea of how plankton populations are changing worldwide. These changes were compared with computer simulations showing how the oceans would look if there were no human-induced global warming.

Cael stated, "Significant color changes have been observed in tropical or subtropical oceans," adding, "While these changes do not destroy the ecosystem, they can have subtle effects. However, this provides additional evidence of how influential human activities are on the global biosphere."

As scientists continue their work to understand the long-term effects of this ocean greening, NASA has also launched a new project on the subject. The advanced satellite mission called Pace, launched in January 2024, aims to perform more in-depth analyses by measuring hundreds of colors in the ocean.

Cael said, "Making more meaningful inferences about what ecological changes are actually happening will definitely be the next big step."

News Source: 12punto