Minor page 16 article in LA Times

SCIENCE IN BRIEF

Key plants at risk in global warming

From Times Staff and Wire Reports

December 9, 2006

Global warming will stifle life-giving microscopic plants in the surface layer of the oceans, accelerating climate change, according to a study in Thursday's journal Nature. Besides being the foundation of the marine food chain, phytoplankton remove more than 100 million tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere daily. As oceans' surface layer heats, it separates from the cooler depths where phytoplankton get many nutrients, diminishing their numbers.

Yes, that's the article. In total. The whole thing.

Did you notice the little details? Like the foundation of the marine food chain (the one that is the basis for the food chain on which you feed) is threatened?

And it's threatened by Golbal Warming? And in fact stifling this layer of phytoplankton will actually increase Global Warming? Making it a reinforcing feedback loop?

The things you find in tiny articles these days...

In another universe, this would be front page, bold headline news, possibly causing widespread panic and billions of dollars in research.

Thanks to Bob Harris for noticing this article.