Satellite images have confirmed that the world’s oceans have become slightly greener. Scientists suspect climate change is the reason.
In a recent study published in Nature, researchers in the United Kingdom and the United States found that nearly 60 percent of the Earth’s ocean surface has undergone a significant change in color, especially in the lower latitudes, over the past 20 years.
Many of the areas with new hues align with areas of increased chlorophyll production — indicating phytoplankton abundance and activity in near-surface waters. That correlation suggests that ocean ecosystems are already feeling the impacts of a changing climate. But the comparison is not perfect.
Read more at Yale Environment 360
Image: Green shading represents areas where ocean surface color has significantly changed. Black dots represent areas with a change in chlorophyll levels. (Credit: NASA)