News · 30 June 2026
Antarctic island reveals diverse algae, challenges warming models.
Photo by lucas huffman on Unsplash
Researchers have discovered unexpectedly rich communities of microscopic algae on Signy Island, a remote part of Antarctica. This challenges the idea that Antarctic glacier ecosystems will all react the same way to global warming, because different types of ice and snow had distinct algal communities. The red snow algae found absorbs carbon dioxide but also darkens ice, speeding up melting.
Reported by BBC · How we write briefs