Penguin poo creates clouds that help cool the planet, study finds

Published on 23/05/2025 - 16:20 GMT+2

Antarctica’s number 1 cutest animal mightiness beryllium redeeming nan satellite pinch its number two. 

A caller study published successful Communications Earth & Environment finds that ammonia released from penguin guano – yes, their poo – whitethorn thief shape clouds that insulate nan Earth and forestall oversea crystal from melting.

A earthy unreality mill successful Antarctica

Researchers from nan University of Helsinki spent 2 months connected nan Antarctic Peninsula measuring nan aerial adjacent a colony of 60,000 Adélie penguins.

When winds blew from nan guidance of nan colony, ammonia levels successful nan ambiance surged much than 1,000 times supra baseline levels.

Ammonia from nan guano reacts pinch sulfur-containing gases emitted by marine phytoplankton, forming aerosol particles that seed clouds. These clouds bespeak sunlight and thief cool nan aboveground below, a process that could slow glacial melt and oversea crystal retreat.

The penguins enactment arsenic “major emitters” of this ammonia, lead writer Matthew Boyer explains.

“There is simply a heavy relationship betwixt ecosystem processes – being nan water phytoplankton activity arsenic good arsenic penguins – and atmospheric processes that tin person an effect connected nan section climate,” he told ABC News.

Even aft nan penguins migrate, nan lingering guano continues to emit ammonia. In 1 case, researchers observed a fog slope that lasted for 3 hours aft a spike successful aerosol concentration.

A reminder of what’s astatine stake

The findings item really interconnected Antarctic ecosystems are pinch Earth’s ambiance systems. As ice melts and habitats displacement owed to world warming, it’s not conscionable wildlife for illustration penguins that are astatine risk, but besides nan earthy processes they support.

The Antarctic plays a captious domiciled successful stabilising world temperatures, acting arsenic a power buffer, a carbon descend and nan motor down water currents, according to nan Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition. But it’s besides 1 of nan fastest-warming regions connected Earth.

TheThwaites Glacier – dubbed nan ‘Doomsday Glacier’ – unsocial could raise oversea levels by up to 3 metres if it collapses.

Understanding really section processes impact world ambiance systems is now much captious than ever.

Novel ambiance solutions are taking guidelines elsewhere, too

Penguin poop isn’t nan only unexpected state successful nan conflict against ambiance alteration and ecological destruction.

In Kenya and different parts of East Africa,beehive fences are proving to beryllium a earthy solution to human-wildlife conflict. Elephants debar nan fences because they fearfulness bees. That protects crops, farmers and elephants alike.

In nan UK, engineers person developedelectric wallpaper to trim location heating emissions, 1 of nan biggest sources of c successful colder climates.

A French institution called New World Wind has besides created ‘wind trees’ – artificial trees equipped pinch tiny, silent turbines that seizure power from ray breezes successful municipality areas.

The compact trees tin make energy year-round successful spaces excessively tight for accepted wind turbines, powering everything from streetlights to mini buildings.

Whether it’s penguin poo aliases warming wallpaper, caller insights and solutions for illustration these could thief style early ambiance alteration and conservation strategies.