By Yasemin Saplakoglu
Our planet's oceans (click here) are warmer than they've ever been in recorded human history. And ocean temperatures are not only increasing, they are heating up at an accelerating rate, according to a new analysis.
In 2019, the ocean temperature was about 0.135 degrees Fahrenheit (0.075 degrees Celsius) higher than the average between 1981 and 2010, an international group of researchers reported on Jan. 13 in the journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences.
That means that the ocean — which absorbs almost all of the greenhouse gases humans spew into the atmosphere — has taken in 228 sextillian (228,000,000,000,000,000,000,000) joules of heat above its average, according to a statement. By comparison, the energy released by the Hiroshima atom-bomb explosion was about 63,000,000,000,000 Joules....
Part of my credentials includes Marine Botany, which includes things like algae. One of the interesting things about Earth is that is uses it's huge oceans to produce oxygen. Yep, from the little critters I studied. What is common with those oxygen-producing critters is that they only live in the TOP 30 FEET of ocean water. Yep. Why one might ask. Because they are plants and critters that use chlorophyll as their basis of life and light doesn't penetrate deep enough to find these lovely little darlings at depth. Where is it getting the hottest? That's right, sea surface.
Hold that thought, more to come.
