https://notthebee.com/article/climate-c ... n=12152024
A new study has found a compound produced by the emissions of marine life in the oceans called methanethiol that reflects the sun's rays and cools the planet far more than scientists realized.
Here's a super sciencey diagram of the compound.
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A new study has found a compound produced by the emissions of marine life in the oceans called methanethiol that reflects the sun's rays and cools the planet far more than scientists realized.
Here's a super sciencey diagram of the compound.
Dr. Charel Wohl, a researcher at the University of East Anglia's Centre for Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, said this in a media release:It has not been detected before because it is extremely hard to measure. Additionally, much research has been done on warmer oceans, while polar oceans are the emission hotspots. Microscopic plankton living on the seas' surfaces emit a type of sulfur gas known as dimethyl sulphide. This gas is the one responsible for the stinky smell in shellfish.
Once sulfur gas reaches the atmosphere, it oxidizes and produces small particles called aerosols. These aerosols reflect solar radiation back into space, lowering the heat on Earth.
This is the climatic element with the greatest cooling capacity, but also the least understood. We knew methanethiol was coming out of the ocean, but we had no idea about how much and where. We also did not know it had such an impact on climate.
So something we did not know about has a tremendous effect on the climate. What else is not known?
statistics: Posted by Rebcop — 3:49 AM - Today — Replies 6 — Views 95