Oceans emit sulfur and cool the climate more than previously thought
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 4-May-2025 08:09 ET (4-May-2025 12:09 GMT/UTC)
Researchers have quantified for the first time the global emissions of a sulfur gas produced by marine life, revealing it cools the climate more than previously thought, especially over the Southern Ocean.
The study, published in the journal Science Advances, shows that the oceans not only capture and redistribute the sun's heat, but produce gases that make particles with immediate climatic effects, for example through the brightening of clouds that reflect this heat.