As global temperatures continue to rise, the temperature of our oceans steadily increases. The warmer than average sea-surface temperatures provide ideal conditions for the development of sea blobs. Mucilages begin as 'marine snow', which are clusters of minuscule pieces living and dead organic matter. They have mainly appeared in the Mediterranean, where the sea is relatively still and shallow, and were first identified in 1729. The sea blobs have been appearing more often and have been lasting longer, as the weather remains warmer into the winter months.
New studies have shown that the mucilages harbor bacteria and viruses, including E.coli. The issue that I find the most alarming regarding the 'sea blobs' is the threat that they pose for marine animals. The blobs can suffocate animals by coating their gills and the biggest blobs can sink to the sea floor, where it acts like a blanket smothering everything that it covers.
Click here to watch a video about the blobs.
Sources:
http://www.civilianism.com/futurism/?p=3273
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/10/091008-giant-sea-mucus-blobs.html
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