Stunning 'Blue Tears' Bloom in China, But Scientists Are Wary About the Bioluminescent Algal (Watch Video)
With an increase in the bloom, China has been witnessing an increase in the flow of tourists. Blue tears have started appearing on Taiwan's Matsu Islands.
Coastal water around China has been witnessing an eerie blue glow! The phenomenon, known as China's 'blue tears,' is actually caused by the blooming of bioluminescent creatures called dinoflagellates. With an increase in the bloom, China has been witnessing an increase in the flow of tourists. Blue tears have started appearing on Taiwan's Matsu Islands. Satellite imagery taken over the past two decades shows that the toxic bioluminescent microorganisms responsible for China's sparkling blue seas are becoming growing abundantly. Red Tide Leads to Glowing Bioluminescent on San Diego Beaches (See Pictures)
While the blue cast looks beautiful, it is toxic too. And according to a recent study, satellite imagery taken over the past two decades show an increase in toxic bioluminescent microorganisms in the waters. According to new research published in Geophysical Research Letters, which is the first to use satellite data to track algal blooms, found them with containing red Noctiluca scintillans (RNS), a single-celled microorganism that produces the beautiful bioluminescent blue glow known as 'blue tears'. Sea in Wales Sparkles Blue at Night! Know What Causes Sea Sparkle or Bioluminescence, Watch Video!
Watch the video below:
Live Science quoted study co-author, Chanmin Hu, an oceanographer at the University of South Florida as saying, "People think this is romantic and beautiful to watch at night. It's toxic." These organisms absorb blue light and scatter red light than other organisms.
Watch the video below:
The teams identified the blooms that emerged between April and August over 18 years by analysing nearly 1,000 images of the East China Sea from NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites. While these blue organisms are generally found near the mouths of rivers, the satellite located them at farther distances also. While they are generally found in colder temperatures, the blooms were seen in waters as warm as 28 degrees Celsius.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 17, 2019 04:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).