Small dark patches are appearing on Greenland‘s ice, and they’re causing big problems. These patches are actually tiny algae – microscopic plants that grow on the ice surface. New research shows these algae are making the ice melt faster than expected. “On the west coast of Greenland, around a tenth of the ice melt is already caused by these microscopic inhabitants,” says Laura Halbach from the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology. Her team’s research reveals why these tiny organisms are such a big concern. The problem starts with color. Normally, ice is white and reflects sunlight back into space. … Continue reading Microscopic Algae Accelerate Greenland Ice Melt by 10%, Darkening Surface and Raising Sea Levels