For centuries, sailors have marveled at the “milky seas” – a rare and mysterious phenomenon where the ocean glows with an ethereal light. Now, a team of scientists has finally uncovered the secrets behind this ghostly spectacle.
Using ship logs, eyewitness accounts, newspapers, and satellite imagery, researchers Justin Hudson and Steven Miller from Colorado State University have compiled the world’s largest database of milky sea observations. The study reveals that these events are caused by bioluminescent bacteria, which emit a steady, even glow.
Milky seas can span enormous distances – up to 38,000 square miles – and last for months at a time. They tend to occur in tropical regions, such as the Northwest Indian Ocean and the Maritime Continent. The research suggests that global climate patterns may play a role in their formation, with events more likely to happen during La Niña summers and Indian Ocean Dipole winters.
The discovery of this phenomenon has significant implications for fisheries and economies worldwide. If milky seas are linked to poor ocean health, they could signal a decline in fish populations – with potentially disastrous consequences.
While the study is still in its early stages, it provides a vital step towards understanding one of the ocean’s most enigmatic secrets. By revealing patterns among complex interactions between climate and marine life, scientists can now begin to predict and even sample these rare events – and potentially mitigate their impact on our planet.
Source: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/milky-seas-database-bioluminescence-ocean-history