Barnacle robots collect climate change data

In an article published on The Times, journalist Markl Macaskill informs about an innovative way of collecting data on climate change using small, robotic barnacles!

Scientists believe that the barnacle, a creature that looks like a tiny volcano and attaches to rocks and boat bottoms where it filters water to feed on tiny organisms, holds clues about how climate change is affecting the deep ocean. Some studies have suggested that populations of cold-water barnacles in some parts of the world have moved further north in response to rising sea temperatures.

Professor Michael Burrows from the Scottish Association for Marine Science explains that this practice is especially efficient when studying the effect of climate change on plants and animals living on rocky seashores.

Find out more: Mark Macaskill, “Barnacle robots offer climate data,” The Times, 6 November 2016.

 

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *