Surprising Source of the Stinky Gas (DMS) That's Trying to Cool Our Planet

This is hands down the best science channel.

When you nerd out on hard sciences...you nerd out on them all: from astronomy to geology, to biochem, to metreology

Anton is a master of sci comm. Somehow these videos are incredibly densely packed with well-crafted information, yet delivered at a pace that is easy to digest. Other youtubers would do well to carefully study Anton's work.

- Saw the title of this new video about 5h ago. - Did not watch the video because I was wondering what DMS is and wanted to research it on my own for a bit. - Found myself now, 5h later, having written a bunch of notes about everything from marine biology to climate gases to agriculture and livestock regulations to animal rights. - Finally feeling ready to watch the video.

ROFL... how did you get away without the YouTube 'tramp stamp' for environmental videos?? Glad to see someone taking a real, unbiased, hard science look at this. Thank you !!

Your final take of Dimetehnelnopenenne was excellent!

I think this video is a good illustration of how science can be very interdisciplinary. Thanks!

After eating beans I've been known to create a "stinky gas," myself. Never heard it called "DMS," however. I didn't realize I could be cooling the Earth.

Thank you, Anton! This episode completely blew me away. I was aware of some of the common facts about DMS and, oddly enough, just last week I had made a comment to a friend about what actually produces the smell from bodies of water. After seeing this video, it's become clear to me that amongst the complexity of our ecosystem the Earth is fighting back. Simply Incredible.

A wonderful video to finish the work week. Thank you, Anton.

Can you believe that Anton puts out videos like this every single day?

I'm not really surprised. I've long suspected the climate system to be permeated with many more feedback mechanisms (both "positive" - i.e. amplifying - and "negative"/"dampening") than we've ever thought existed. That's not to say the climate system is somehow magically hyperstable and immune to anthropogenic destabilization, but given the focus of climate scientists on identifying climate challenges humanity can actually do something to address, it would not really be surprising if natural dampening feedback mechanisms like those highlighted here ended up being less well understood or researched.

DMSP is a photo-protective compound which many ocean plankton species use. DMS is its derivative released after those organisms die. That is something we learned over the last 30 years since the CLAW hypothesis (discussed in the video) has been formulated.. The new paper adds to the lists of organisms which produce it but does not increase its flux into the atmosphere because it is measured independently. So nothing has really changed.

Interesting video today, the suggestion that the production and release of DMS, DMSO and related sulphur compounds in the ocean could account for localised surface water temperature rises is intriguing, especially considering their typical role in atmospheric cooling. There are a few mechanisms that are worth investigating further to see how these mechanisms may provide an insight to take knowledge forward. 1. Heat Release During Metabolic Processes The production of DMS and DMSO by marine organisms involves metabolic processes that can release heat. If a large number of organisms are producing these compounds simultaneously, the cumulative heat release could raise the temperature of the surrounding water. This effect would be more pronounced in localised areas with high concentrations of DMS/DMSO-producing organisms. 2. Impact on Light Absorption Sulphur compounds and their precursors can affect the optical properties of seawater. If these compounds alter the absorption characteristics of the water, they could potentially increase the absorption of sunlight, leading to localised warming. This might occur through changes in water clarity or the optical properties of dissolved organic matter. 3. Algal Blooms and Heat Absorption Algal blooms, which are often associated with increased DMS production, can significantly alter the thermal properties of surface waters. Dense blooms can increase the absorption of solar radiation due to the pigmentation of the algae, leading to localised warming of the surface water. This could create a feedback loop where warming enhances algal growth, further increasing DMS production. 4. Physical Processes and Stratification The production of DMS and related compounds might influence water stratification. Increased production of these compounds could be associated with biological activity that affects water density and stratification. Enhanced stratification can reduce mixing with cooler, deeper waters, leading to localised warming of the surface layer. 5. Biological and Chemical Feedbacks The interactions between DMS, DMSO, and other sulphur compounds with marine microbial communities can create complex feedback loops. For instance, certain microbial processes involved in sulphur cycling might produce heat or change the thermal properties of the water, contributing to localised warming. 6. Interference with Evaporative Cooling High concentrations of DMS and other sulfur compounds might influence the rate of evaporation. If these compounds affect the surface tension or other properties of the water, they could potentially reduce evaporative cooling, leading to a slight increase in surface temperature. 7. Release of Greenhouse Gases Although DMS and related compounds typically contribute to cooling when they reach the atmosphere, their production and release might be linked to other processes that release greenhouse gases such as methane or CO₂. These gases can trap heat and contribute to localised warming. This is a more indirect pathway but could be a contributing factor. Understanding these mechanisms requires further research, particularly focusing on the localised interactions between biological, chemical, and physical processes in marine environments. It's a complex system where multiple factors interact, and isolating the exact cause of localised temperature rises associated with sulfur compound production will necessitate detailed field studies and advanced modeling efforts.

Excellent explanation of extremely difficult material 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 Many thanks Anton

As I understand. High clouds reflect before absorption so cool. Low clouds absorb, insulate, and so warm.

The more we know, the more questions we discover.

As one of the authors on this paper, thank you for highlighting it.

Potentially good news. I always wondered how Earth recovered from its past thermal maximums, and this could be the answer. Really exciting stuff.

About the CLAW hypothesis, I'm sure there's some of that happenning, as well as other negative feedback processes that work to bring global temperatures down. The big-ass-elephant-in-the-room real problem is that, in the balance , the sum of positive feedback loops outweight the sum of negative ones (with the ice-albedo and methane-thawing ones the main players). And this unbalance is probably only going to get worse, so I wouldn't be getting people's hopes up that "she'll be right"...