Carbon dioxide, long considered the primary culprit of global warming, is now facing a second serious charge: it's threatening precious marine life as well.
The burning of fossil fuels in our cars, homes, and factories have led to an ever-increasing level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Most of the carbon dioxide stays in the atmosphere and contributes to global warming; one fourth of those emissions, however, are absorbed by the world's oceans.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is soluble in water -- it dissolves in water to form carbonic acid (H2CO3). Scientists estimate that the acidity of the oceans have increased 30% since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.
The acidity threatens the survival of coral reefs and shellfish, which in turn, can disrupt the food web of oceans.
Read the original article in the NYT.
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