Cosmic explosions thousands of light-years away could shut down photosynthesis in the ocean at depths of up to 260 feet, a new study suggests. The calculations add to a growing body of research linking these great blasts, called gamma-ray bursts, with biological damage and even mass extinctions on Earth.
…t have to worry about going blind, but they would feel the flash on a molecular level, Penate’s team argues. The radiation could damage simple organisms’ DNA, and even shut off photosynthesis entirely for at least the 10 second duration of the flash.
The team calculated how deeply the radiation would penetrate the ocean if a gamma-ray burst went off 6,000 light-years from Earth. In clear waters, photosynthesis would be totally suppressed down to about 260 feet in the ocean. In more turbid waters, photosynthesis would still suffer in the first 65 feet of water.
As the first level of the oceanic food chain, phytoplankton support a variety of more complicated organisms. These tiny plants are also responsible for releasing oxygen into the atmosphere. One species, Prochlorococcus marinus, is responsible for 20 percent of the total oxygen released by the biosphere all by itself, the researchers write. Whatever messes with phytoplankton messes with the whole biosphere.
On the other hand, photosynthesis could turn…
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Gamma-Ray Bursts Could Halt Photosynthesis
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