Hottest Ocean Temperatures in 400 Years Endanger Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef, one of the world’s most iconic natural wonders, is facing an unprecedented threat due to the hottest sea surface temperatures recorded in 400 years. A recent study published in Nature reveals that the temperatures in the first three months of 2024 reached 0.19°C above the previous record high. This alarming rise has led to widespread coral bleaching, where corals expel the algae that provide them with food and vibrant colour, leaving them white and vulnerable to disease and death.
High Temperatures Poses Significant Risk to Marine Ecosystem at The Great Barrier Reef
Led by Benjamin Henley, a paleoclimatologist at the University of Melbourne, the study underscores the severe implications of this warming trend. The Great Barrier Reef, stretching over 1,400 miles off Queensland’s coast, is home to the world’s largest collection of coral reefs and an incredibly diverse marine ecosystem. However, the rapid increase in sea surface temperature is now putting this unique biodiversity at significant risk.
To understand the historical context, researchers reconstructed sea surface temperatures from 1618 to 2024. They used a combination of ship and satellite records and coral cores extracted from the reef itself. These coral cores act as natural archives, with their strontium and calcium ratios providing insights into past water temperatures. The study found that the summer temperatures between 2016 and 2024 were nearly 1.7°C higher than the coolest summers in the past four centuries.
This data has prompted scientists to question the recent decision by UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, which chose not to upgrade the reef’s status from “serious threat” to “in danger.” Helen McGregor, a co-author of the study and a paleoclimatologist at the University of Wollongong, expressed concern that the science clearly indicates the reef is in immediate danger, contradicting UNESCO’s assessment.
She warned that urgent action is needed to prevent further degradation. Despite the grim outlook, Henley pointed out that there is still hope for the reef if global emissions can be reduced. He stressed that the tools to address the problem are available, but the speed of action must increase to preserve this natural treasure.
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The final supermoon of 2024, known as the Beaver Moon, will make its appearance on Friday, November 15. This full moon, which will reach its peak illumination at 4:29 PM EST, is anticipated by lunar enthusiasts as it marks the last supermoon event of the year. Visible as dawn approaches in Jakarta, this celestial event follows October’s Hunter’s Moon and concludes a sequence of four consecutive supermoons observed throughout 2024, according to NASA.
What is the Beaver Moon?
November’s full moon is traditionally called the Beaver Moon, a term that originates from Native American customs and was popularised by the Maine Farmer’s Almanac. This name is linked to the seasonal timing when beavers prepare their dens for winter or were historically hunted to ensure a supply of warm furs. In various regions, November’s full moon is also known as the Frost Moon or Snow Moon, reflecting the colder weather patterns typically seen in North America during this time.
When to See the Beaver Moon
The Beaver Moon will appear full to viewers for three days, from the early hours of 14 November to just before sunrise on November 17. This gives stargazers multiple opportunities to catch a glimpse of the bright, enlarged moon, which will be slightly closer to Earth than usual, enhancing its size and brightness compared to typical full moons. This phenomenon occurs when the moon reaches its closest orbital point, known as perigee, during a full phase, resulting in what is known as a supermoon.
Other Astronomical Highlights This Month
Apart from the Beaver Moon, November brings other notable astronomical events. On 16 November, Mercury will reach its greatest eastern elongation, making it ideal for evening observation. Additionally, the Leonid meteor shower is expected to peak from November 17 to 18, providing another highlight for skywatchers. Uranus will also be visible, reaching its closest point to Earth on November 17, according to Seasky.org, giving viewers a brighter and more accessible sighting.
For those interested in astronomy, November 15 offers a special chance to observe this year’s last supermoon before the seasonal Cold Moon arrives in December.
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A faint electric field has been detected in Earth’s atmosphere, confirming a theory that scientists have held for decades. This ambipolar electric field, though weak at just 0.55 volts, could play a vital role in shaping Earth’s atmospheric evolution and its ability to support life, according to recent findings. Glyn Collinson, an atmospheric scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, led the Endurance rocket mission, which successfully measured this field in May 2022 above Svalbard, Norway. Collinson has described this field as a “planetary-energy field” that had eluded scientific measurement until now.
How the Ambipolar Field Affects Earth’s Atmosphere
The presence of this field is thought to explain a phenomenon observed decades ago—the polar wind. When sunlight strikes atoms in the upper atmosphere, it can cause negatively charged electrons to break free and drift into space, while the heavier, positively charged oxygen ions remain. To maintain an electrically neutral atmosphere, a faint electric field forms, tying these particles together and preventing electrons from escaping. This weak field has been shown to provide energy to lighter ions, such as hydrogen, enabling them to break free from Earth’s gravity and contribute to the polar wind.
This ambipolar electric field could have implications for planetary habitability. David Brain, a planetary scientist at the University of Colorado Boulder, noted that understanding how such fields vary across planets could shed light on why Earth has remained habitable compared to planets like Mars and Venus. Although both Mars and Venus have electric fields, the absence of a global magnetic field on those planets allowed more of their atmospheres to escape into space, potentially altering their climates significantly.
Further Research Planned
NASA has recently approved a follow-up mission with a rocket named Resolute, expected to launch soon. Collinson believes that continued investigation into planetary electric fields may help answer fundamental questions about why Earth supports life while other planets do not.
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