Ocean Temperatures Hit Highest in the History, Study Finds

Transforming climate and global warming are severely affecting our planet. Even more, both have a massive impact on seas. This year, oceans across the globe have become warmer that even in the history of humanity. A new study reveals heat in the oceans worldwide hit new records in 2019, revealing undeniable and expediting heating up of Earth. Researchers say the oceans are the apparent rate of the climate emergency because they soak up most of the heat. It is a warmth that comes from greenhouse gases released due to human activities like burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, etc.

The latest study reveals the previous five years are the top five hottest years ever in the ocean. Even more, the past decade tops as the warmest years in history. Researchers noted the amount of heat getting added to the seas equates to each individual on Earth running hundred microwave ovens throughout the day. Oceans with higher temperatures could disturb the water cycle, and eventually lead to floods, droughts, or wildfires. Even more, hotter oceans could contribute to an unstoppable rise in seawater levels. The study pinpoints higher temperatures are damaging marine life, with plenty of marine heatwaves rising abruptly.

The research includes the participation of an international team of researchers from 11 organizations across the globe. They have used a new analysis system designed at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, China. As per researchers, the methodology has endorsed for more precise temperature estimations dating from the 1950s. During the trial, they have discovered ocean temperature in 2019 remained around 0.135° F over the 1981-2010 average. Besides, the latest estimation reveals than the ocean has absorbed 228 sextillion joules of heat. Lijing Cheng, leading author of the study, said the figure includes a lot of zeros indeed. They have compared the heat with the explosion of Hiroshima atom bomb which released heat around 63,000,000,000,000 Joules. Prof. John Abraham, a co-author of the study, said it is challenging to recognize how fast things are transforming.