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IOL News
2 days ago
- Health
- IOL News
Cloudy with a chance of penguin poo
Penguins may be nature's surprise climate helpers, thanks to their cloud-boosting droppings. Antarctica's icy wilderness is warming rapidly under the weight of human-driven climate change, yet a new study points to an unlikely ally in the fight to keep the continent cool: penguin poo. Published in Communications Earth & Environment, the research shows that ammonia wafting off penguin guano seeds extra cloud cover above coastal Antarctica, likely blocking sunlight and nudging temperatures down. Lead author Matthew Boyer, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Helsinki, said that lab studies had long shown gaseous ammonia can help form clouds. But "to actually quantify this process and to see its influence in Antarctica hasn't been done," he said. Antarctica is an ideal natural laboratory. With virtually no human pollution and scant vegetation - both alternative sources of cloud-forming gases - penguin colonies dominate as ammonia emitters. The birds' future, however, is under threat. Shrinking sea ice disrupts their nesting, feeding and predator-avoidance routines - making it all the more urgent to understand their broader ecological role. Along with other seabirds such as Imperial Shags, penguins expel large amounts of ammonia through droppings, an acrid cocktail of feces and urine released via their multi-purpose cloacas. When that ammonia mixes with sulfur-bearing gases from phytoplankton - the microscopic algae that bloom in the surrounding ocean - it boosts the formation of tiny aerosol particles that grow into clouds. To capture the effect in the real world, Boyer and teammates set up instruments at Argentina's Marambio Base on Seymour Island, off the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. Over three summer months - when penguin colonies are bustling and phytoplankton photosynthesis peaks - they monitored wind direction, ammonia levels and newly minted aerosols. When the breeze blew from a 60 000-strong Adelie penguin colony eight kilometers (five miles) away, atmospheric ammonia spiked to 13.5 parts per billion - about a thousand times the background level. For over a month after the birds had departed on their annual migration, concentrations stayed roughly 100 times higher, with the guano-soaked ground acting as a slow-release fertiliser. Particle counters told the same story: cloud-seeding aerosols surged whenever air masses arrived from the colony, at times thick enough to generate a dense fog. Chemical fingerprints in the particles pointed back to penguin-derived ammonia. Penguin-plankton partnership Boyer calls it a "synergistic process" between penguins and phytoplankton that supercharges aerosol production in the region. "We provide evidence that declining penguin populations could cause a positive climate-warming feedback in the summertime Antarctic atmosphere," the authors write - though Boyer emphasised that this remains a hypothesis, not a confirmed outcome. Globally, clouds have a net cooling effect by reflecting solar radiation back into space. Based on Arctic modeling of seabird emissions, the team believes a similar mechanism is likely at play in Antarctica. But the impact also depends on what's beneath the clouds. Ice sheets and glaciers also reflect much of the sun's energy, so extra cloud cover over these bright surfaces could trap infrared heat instead - meaning the overall effect hinges on where the clouds form and drift. Still, the findings highlight the profound interconnections between life and the atmosphere - from the Great Oxygenation Event driven by photosynthesising microbes billions of years ago to penguins influencing cloud cover today. "This is just another example of this deep connection between the ecosystem and atmospheric processes, and why we should care about biodiversity and conservation," Boyer said.
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Penguins may help in counteracting climate change! Researchers reveal how
Imagine living in one of the farthest and remotest corners of the whole world, and becoming kind of instrumental in reviving the same! Penguins are proving to have that sort of superpower! What's happening? Antarctica is warming quickly due to human-caused climate change. However, where there's a problem, there must be a will to solve it as well. A new study suggests that penguin droppings, or guano, could help keep the continent cooler. The study, published in Communications Earth & Environment , shows that ammonia released from penguin guano helps form extra clouds above coastal Antarctica. These clouds block sunlight and may lower temperatures. Can penguin poop save the world? According to the paper, penguins are a key species in Antarctica, are "major emitters" of ammonia. When the ammonia reacts with gases that contain sulfur emitted from phytoplankton in the ocean, it increases the creation of aerosols, which give water vapor a surface to condense upon and lead to cloud formation. As per Matthew Boyer, a researcher at the University of Helsinki's Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research and lead author of the paper, "They have a synergistic role for the formation of particles in the atmosphere." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Click Here - This Might Save You From Losing Money Expertinspector Click Here Undo According to the paper, the clouds can then act as an insulation in the atmosphere, helping to reduce surface temperatures, which in turn prevents the sea ice from melting. Insight into the study: Boyer noted that past lab studies indicated ammonia can aid in cloud formation. However, measuring this in Antarctica had not been done before. Antarctica serves as a unique natural laboratory. With very little human pollution and few plants to produce cloud-forming gases, penguin colonies serve as the main source of ammonia. However, penguins face threats due to shrinking sea ice, which disrupts their nesting, feeding, and routines to avoid predators. Understanding their ecological role is crucial. Along with other seabirds like Imperial Shags, penguins release large amounts of ammonia through their droppings. When this ammonia mixes with sulfur gases from phytoplankton—tiny algae in the ocean—it helps create aerosol particles that form clouds. To study this, Boyer and his team set up instruments at Argentina's Marambio Base on Seymour Island, near the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. During those summer months, when penguin colonies thrive and phytoplankton bloom, they monitored wind, ammonia levels, and aerosols. When wind blew from a nearby colony of 60,000 Adélie penguins, ammonia levels rose to 13.5 parts per billion—about a thousand times higher than normal. Even a month after the penguins had migrated, ammonia concentrations remained about 100 times higher, thanks to the guano-soaked ground. As air moved from the penguin colony, particle counters showed an increase in cloud-forming aerosols, sometimes thick enough to create fog. Chemical analysis pointed to ammonia from the penguins. Boyer describes this as a "synergistic process" where penguins and phytoplankton work together to increase aerosol production in the area. He warns that declining penguin numbers could worsen climate warming in the Antarctic summer, although this idea is still a hypothesis and not proven. Clouds usually cool the Earth by reflecting sunlight, and the team believes a similar process occurs in Antarctica. However, the effect depends on what lies beneath the clouds. Ice and glaciers reflect a lot of sunlight, but clouds can also trap heat, so the overall impact depends on where clouds form. Yet another reminder: The findings highlight how interconnected Antarctic ecosystems are with Earth's climate systems. As ice melts and habitats shift due to global warming , it's not just wildlife like penguins that are at risk, but also the natural processes they support. These findings also show how closely life and the atmosphere are linked, from the ancient rise of oxygen due to microbes to penguins affecting current cloud cover. As per Boyer, "This highlights the deep connection between ecosystems and atmospheric processes, and why we should care about biodiversity and conservation." The Antarctic plays a vital role in stabilising global temperatures, acting as a heat buffer, a carbon sink, and the engine behind ocean currents, according to the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition. Unfortunately, it's also one of the fastest-warming regions on Earth. Linking fossil climate proxies to living bacteria helps climate prediction
The Star
26-05-2025
- Science
- The Star
Penguin poop's surprising climate power
A new study points to an unlikely ally in the fight to keep the continent cool: penguin poo. — Photo: Mario_Hoppmann / Getty Images© Antarctica's icy wilderness is warming rapidly under the weight of human-driven climate change, yet a new study points to an unlikely ally in the fight to keep the continent cool: penguin poo. Published Thursday in Communications Earth & Environment, the research shows that ammonia wafting off penguin guano seeds extra cloud cover above coastal Antarctica, likely blocking sunlight and nudging temperatures down. Lead author Matthew Boyer, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Helsinki, told AFP that lab studies had long shown gaseous ammonia can help form clouds. But "to actually quantify this process and to see its influence in Antarctica hasn't been done," he said. Antarctica is an ideal natural laboratory. With virtually no human pollution and scant vegetation – both alternative sources of cloud-forming gases – penguin colonies dominate as ammonia emitters. The birds' future, however, is under threat. Shrinking sea ice disrupts their nesting, feeding and predator-avoidance routines – making it all the more urgent to understand their broader ecological role. Along with other seabirds such as Imperial Shags, penguins expel large amounts of ammonia through droppings, an acrid cocktail of feces and urine released via their multi-purpose cloacas. When that ammonia mixes with sulfur-bearing gases from phytoplankton – the microscopic algae that bloom in the surrounding ocean – it boosts the formation of tiny aerosol particles that grow into clouds. To capture the effect in the real world, Boyer and teammates set up instruments at Argentina's Marambio Base on Seymour Island, off the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. Over three summer months – when penguin colonies are bustling and phytoplankton photosynthesis peaks – they monitored wind direction, ammonia levels and newly minted aerosols. When the breeze blew from a 60,000-strong Adelie penguin colony eight kilometers (five miles) away, atmospheric ammonia spiked to 13.5 parts per billion – about a thousand times the background level. For over a month after the birds had departed on their annual migration, concentrations stayed roughly 100 times higher, with the guano-soaked ground acting as a slow-release fertilizer. Particle counters told the same story: cloud-seeding aerosols surged whenever air masses arrived from the colony, at times thick enough to generate a dense fog. Chemical fingerprints in the particles pointed back to penguin-derived ammonia. Penguin-plankton partnership Boyer calls it a "synergistic process" between penguins and phytoplankton that supercharges aerosol production in the region. "We provide evidence that declining penguin populations could cause a positive climate-warming feedback in the summertime Antarctic atmosphere," the authors write – though Boyer emphasized that this remains a hypothesis, not a confirmed outcome. Globally, clouds have a net cooling effect by reflecting solar radiation back into space. Based on Arctic modelling of seabird emissions, the team believes a similar mechanism is likely at play in Antarctica. But the impact also depends on what's beneath the clouds. Ice sheets and glaciers also reflect much of the Sun's energy, so extra cloud cover over these bright surfaces could trap infrared heat instead – meaning the overall effect hinges on where the clouds form and drift. Still, the findings highlight the profound interconnections between life and the atmosphere – from the Great Oxygenation Event driven by photosynthesizing microbes billions of years ago to penguins influencing cloud cover today. "This is just another example of this deep connection between the ecosystem and atmospheric processes, and why we should care about biodiversity and conservation," Boyer said. – AFP
eNCA
25-05-2025
- Science
- eNCA
The surprising climate power of penguin poo
WASHINGTON - Antarctica's icy wilderness is warming rapidly under the weight of human-driven climate change, yet a new study points to an unlikely ally in the fight to keep the continent cool: penguin poo. Published in Communications Earth & Environment, the research shows that ammonia wafting off penguin guano seeds extra cloud cover above coastal Antarctica, likely blocking sunlight and nudging temperatures down. Lead author Matthew Boyer, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Helsinki, told AFP that lab studies had long shown gaseous ammonia can help form clouds. But "to actually quantify this process and to see its influence in Antarctica hasn't been done," he said. Antarctica is an ideal natural laboratory. With virtually no human pollution and scant vegetation -- both alternative sources of cloud-forming gases -- penguin colonies dominate as ammonia emitters. The birds' future, however, is under threat. Shrinking sea ice disrupts their nesting, feeding and predator-avoidance routines -- making it all the more urgent to understand their broader ecological role. Along with other seabirds such as Imperial Shags, penguins expel large amounts of ammonia through droppings, an acrid cocktail of feces and urine released via their multi-purpose cloacas. When that ammonia mixes with sulfur-bearing gases from phytoplankton -- the microscopic algae that bloom in the surrounding ocean -- it boosts the formation of tiny aerosol particles that grow into clouds. To capture the effect in the real world, Boyer and teammates set up instruments at Argentina's Marambio Base on Seymour Island, off the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. Over three summer months -- when penguin colonies are bustling and phytoplankton photosynthesis peaks -- they monitored wind direction, ammonia levels and newly minted aerosols. When the breeze blew from a 60,000-strong Adelie penguin colony eight kilometres away, atmospheric ammonia spiked to 13.5 parts per billion -- about a thousand times the background level. For over a month after the birds had departed on their annual migration, concentrations stayed roughly 100 times higher, with the guano-soaked ground acting as a slow-release fertiliser. Particle counters told the same story: cloud-seeding aerosols surged whenever air masses arrived from the colony, at times thick enough to generate a dense fog. Chemical fingerprints in the particles pointed back to penguin-derived ammonia. - Penguin-plankton partnership - Boyer calls it a "synergistic process" between penguins and phytoplankton that supercharges aerosol production in the region. "We provide evidence that declining penguin populations could cause a positive climate-warming feedback in the summertime Antarctic atmosphere," the authors write -- though Boyer emphasised that this remains a hypothesis, not a confirmed outcome. Globally, clouds have a net cooling effect by reflecting solar radiation back into space. Based on Arctic modelling of seabird emissions, the team believes a similar mechanism is likely at play in Antarctica. But the impact also depends on what's beneath the clouds. Ice sheets and glaciers also reflect much of the Sun's energy, so extra cloud cover over these bright surfaces could trap infrared heat instead -- meaning the overall effect hinges on where the clouds form and drift. Still, the findings highlight the profound interconnections between life and the atmosphere -- from the Great Oxygenation Event driven by photosynthesising microbes billions of years ago to penguins influencing cloud cover today. "This is just another example of this deep connection between the ecosystem and atmospheric processes, and why we should care about biodiversity and conservation," Boyer said.
Malay Mail
23-05-2025
- Science
- Malay Mail
Cloudy with a chance of penguin poop: How guano is cooling down Antarctica
WASHINGTON, May 24 — Antarctica's icy wilderness is warming rapidly under the weight of human-driven climate change, yet a new study points to an unlikely ally in the fight to keep the continent cool: penguin poo. Published yesterday in Communications Earth & Environment, the research shows that ammonia wafting off penguin guano seeds extra cloud cover above coastal Antarctica, likely blocking sunlight and nudging temperatures down. Lead author Matthew Boyer, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Helsinki, told AFP that lab studies had long shown gaseous ammonia can help form clouds. But 'to actually quantify this process and to see its influence in Antarctica hasn't been done,' he said. Antarctica is an ideal natural laboratory. With virtually no human pollution and scant vegetation — both alternative sources of cloud-forming gases — penguin colonies dominate as ammonia emitters. The birds' future, however, is under threat. Shrinking sea ice disrupts their nesting, feeding and predator-avoidance routines — making it all the more urgent to understand their broader ecological role. Along with other seabirds such as Imperial Shags, penguins expel large amounts of ammonia through droppings, an acrid cocktail of faeces and urine released via their multi-purpose cloacas. When that ammonia mixes with sulfur-bearing gases from phytoplankton — the microscopic algae that bloom in the surrounding ocean — it boosts the formation of tiny aerosol particles that grow into clouds. To capture the effect in the real world, Boyer and teammates set up instruments at Argentina's Marambio Base on Seymour Island, off the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. Over three summer months — when penguin colonies are bustling and phytoplankton photosynthesis peaks — they monitored wind direction, ammonia levels and newly minted aerosols. When the breeze blew from a 60,000-strong Adelie penguin colony eight kilometres (five miles) away, atmospheric ammonia spiked to 13.5 parts per billion — about a thousand times the background level. For over a month after the birds had departed on their annual migration, concentrations stayed roughly 100 times higher, with the guano-soaked ground acting as a slow-release fertiliser. Particle counters told the same story: cloud-seeding aerosols surged whenever air masses arrived from the colony, at times thick enough to generate a dense fog. Chemical fingerprints in the particles pointed back to penguin-derived ammonia. Penguin-plankton partnership Boyer calls it a 'synergistic process' between penguins and phytoplankton that supercharges aerosol production in the region. 'We provide evidence that declining penguin populations could cause a positive climate-warming feedback in the summertime Antarctic atmosphere,' the authors write — though Boyer emphasised that this remains a hypothesis, not a confirmed outcome. Globally, clouds have a net cooling effect by reflecting solar radiation back into space. Based on Arctic modelling of seabird emissions, the team believes a similar mechanism is likely at play in Antarctica. But the impact also depends on what's beneath the clouds. Ice sheets and glaciers also reflect much of the Sun's energy, so extra cloud cover over these bright surfaces could trap infrared heat instead — meaning the overall effect hinges on where the clouds form and drift. Still, the findings highlight the profound interconnections between life and the atmosphere — from the Great Oxygenation Event driven by photosynthesizing microbes billions of years ago to penguins influencing cloud cover today. 'This is just another example of this deep connection between the ecosystem and atmospheric processes, and why we should care about biodiversity and conservation,' Boyer said. — AFP
