Tiny Marine Microbes Exert Influence On Global Climate

New research indicates that the interactions of microscopic organisms around a particular organic material may alter the chemical properties of the ocean-influencing global climate by affecting cloud formation in the atmosphere. Justin Seymour, a research fellow at the University of Technology Sydney, is the lead author of a paper reporting the results, published in this week's issue of the journal Science.

The paper describes how a relative of the chemical that seabirds and seals use to locate prey, dimethylsulfide (DMS), may serve a similar purpose at the microbial scale, helping marine microorganisms find food and cycle chemicals that are important to climate.

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Image credit: Roman Stocker and Tanvir Ahmed