Tuesday, April 4, 2017

When coccolithophores die, they scream a warning!

Trillions of warriors, in a battle visible from space

See the murky cloud in the water? It's made of dying warriors - tiny sea creatures called coccolithophores who are fighting viruses, losing, dying and falling to the sea floor.

It's not an unusual event. It happens around the globe all the time. This war has been going on for millions of years. The combatants have evolved intricate strategies to outwit each other. And most interestingly, the way this battle plays out is crucial for all oxygen-breathing life on this planet.

Listen to the story here. You won't regret it! It's well-told, it's thrilling, and it will make you think of the world in a new way:

http://www.radiolab.org/story/190284-war-we-need/

#biology

Radiolab

A War We Need

Every day, every moment, an epic battle is raging across the globe. It's happening in the ocean. And the evidence is both highly visible and totally hidden, depending on your perspective. In this short, the tale of an arms race involving trillions of sea creatures--and why their struggle is vital to our survival.

Coccolithophore bloom off Brittany, France

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