Mysterious Ocean Glow Revealed as Billions of Tiny Glass-Shelled Organisms
Affiliate Disclosure
Hey fellow impactful ninja ?
You may have noticed that Impactful Ninja is all about providing helpful information to make a positive impact on the world and society. And that we love to link back to where we found all the information for each of our posts.
Most of these links are informational-based for you to check out their primary sources with one click.
But some of these links are so-called "affiliate links" to products that we recommend.
Why do we add these product links?
First and foremost, because we believe that they add value to you. For example, when we wrote a post about the environmental impact of long showers, we came across an EPA recommendation to use WaterSense showerheads. So we linked to where you can find them. Or, for many of our posts, we also link to our favorite books on that topic so that you can get a much more holistic overview than one single blog post could provide.
And when there is an affiliate program for these products, we sign up for it. For example, as Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases.
What do these affiliate links mean for you?
First, and most importantly, we still only recommend products that we believe add value for you.
When you buy something through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission - but at no additional costs to you.
And when you buy something through a link that is not an affiliate link, we won’t receive any commission but we’ll still be happy to have helped you.
What do these affiliate links mean for us?
When we find products that we believe add value to you and the seller has an affiliate program, we sign up for it.
When you buy something through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission (at no extra costs to you).
And at this point in time, all money is reinvested in sharing the most helpful content with you. This includes all operating costs for running this site and the content creation itself.
What does this mean for me personally?
You may have noticed by the way Impactful Ninja is operated that money is not the driving factor behind it. It is a passion project of mine and I love to share helpful information with you to make a positive impact on the world and society. However, it's a project in that I invest a lot of time and also quite some money.
Eventually, my dream is to one day turn this passion project into my full-time job and provide even more helpful information. But that's still a long time to go.
Stay impactful,
At Impactful Ninja, we curate positive and impactful news for you. Follow us on Google News or sign up for our free newsletter to get these delivered straight to your inbox—just like our expert roundup below!
📰 The quick summary: Scientists have identified billions of microscopic diatoms as the cause of a mysterious turquoise glow in the Southern Ocean, expanding our understanding of marine ecosystems and carbon sequestration.
📈 One key stat: The coccolithophores in the great calcite belt concentrate an estimated 30 million tonnes of carbon each year, demonstrating the crucial role these microorganisms play in global carbon cycling.
💬 One key quote: “Our results suggest that these highly reflective polar waters result from scattering by diatom frustules, not coccolithophores, and have been misidentified as particulate inorganic carbon in satellite measurements.”
1️⃣ The big picture: Oceanographers have solved a two-decade mystery about a glowing turquoise patch in the Southern Ocean that satellite images first captured in the early 2000s. The team discovered that dense populations of diatoms – microscopic organisms with glassy, reflective structures – create an optical effect similar to coccolithophores, causing the distinctive glow. This finding challenges previous assumptions about which organisms dominate different ocean regions and how carbon cycles through our oceans. The discovery reveals that coccolithophores exist farther south than scientists believed possible, while confirming diatoms’ dominance in these frigid waters.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: This breakthrough enhances our understanding of ocean ecosystems and the global carbon cycle. Both diatoms and coccolithophores play crucial roles in sequestering carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, helping mitigate climate change effects. By accurately identifying which microorganisms dominate specific ocean regions, scientists can better model carbon flows and predict how marine ecosystems might respond to changing conditions. The research also demonstrates the value of hands-on ocean sampling to verify satellite data, improving the accuracy of remote sensing technologies that monitor our oceans’ health. This expanded knowledge of unique marine communities contributes to our ability to protect these vital carbon-absorbing ecosystems.
3️⃣ What’s next: Scientists will need to review satellite methods for estimating particulate organic carbon in light of these findings. Further research voyages into rarely visited southern waters may uncover more surprising relationships between competing plankton species. Oceanographers can now refine climate models to better account for the distinct carbon sequestration processes performed by different microorganism communities.
Read the full story here: ScienceAlert – A Mysterious Glow in The Ocean Turns Out to Be Billions of Tiny Creatures
