Since 1988, the waters of the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea have been turning red and green in the months between January and May. The flourish of luminescent colour takes places due to algae blooms that spread in calm, nutrient-enriched waters.
These bioluminescent algae are known as ‘Sea Sparkles’ – because of the glowing trail ships leave in their wake after passing through a bloom. These might be pretty to look at, but they’re deadly for the local ecology. Since these algae thrive in conditions bad for all other aquatic life, these blooms serve as large glowing indicators of a water body’s health.
This year, a patch the size of Mexico appeared in the Gulf of Oman. The long-term implications of a bloom like this include the livelihoods of the more than 120 million people who live along the affected coastlines.
As scientists link the changing water temperature to melting glaciers, the bloom serves as yet another warning that climate change will be coming to your doorstep as the 21st century progresses.
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