Darkening of oceans is a 'cause for concern'

CITY'S SCIENTISTS ISSUE A STARK GLOBAL WARNING

- By BETHAN FINIGHAN

MORE than one fifth of the Earth’s ocean has become darker over the past two decades, new research has warned. This process, called ‘ocean darkening’ occurs when changes to the ocean's upper most level reduce the depth at which sunlight hits.

The study found that an area spanning more than 75million square kilometres - home to 90% of all marine life - had become darker between 2003 and 2022.

Researchers from the University of Plymouth and Plymouth Marine Laboratory looked at NASA satellite data and numerical modelling to work out annual changes in the depth that light reaches in Earth’s oceans.

They found that 21% of the global ocean had become darker over the past two decades - and researchers warn this could affect “the air we breathe, the fish we eat, our ability to fight climate change, and for the general health and wellbeing of the planet”.