Scienceenvironment
The gooier marine snow is, the better it is at transporting carbon
In the deep sea, a continuous shower of organic and inorganic detritus known as marine snow plays a critical role in Earth's carbon cycle. Made up of mucus, feces, silt, and dead plankton, this material constantly rains down from shallow waters into the dark ocean depths. A recent scientific study reveals that the physical consistency of this marine snow directly influences its efficiency. Specifically, the gooier the marine aggregates are, the more effectively they transport and sequester carbon into the deep sea.