Burning Ocean – Poetry of Science

Under the skin
Stretched and thinned,
The slow hum of heat—
its salt fingers
press on
Something that was once steadfast.
ocean,
A story unfolds,
carry iron whisper
From the ancient core,
its weight is pulled skyward
Affected by unseen fire.
Side by side,
The stone cloak dissolves,
Their silence is stitched
into the depths
Fragile lanterns gather
and fade.
In the control of water,
The air remains—
leave a question
No one answered.

The poem was inspired by recent research that found sea surface and deep water temperatures reached new record highs in 2024.

Rising ocean temperatures are an important indicator of the planet’s continued warming, caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Global ocean surface temperatures and the amount of heat stored in the upper ocean reached unprecedented levels in 2024, a worrying trend observed in recent years. Ocean warming has far-reaching impacts – from exacerbating extreme weather events to damaging marine ecosystems and threatening communities that rely on them.

The study examined record-breaking ocean temperatures in 2024, revealing a significant increase in heat content in the upper 2,000 meters of the ocean compared to 2023. past level. Global sea surface temperatures also remained at historically high levels for most of the year, averaging 0.61°C above the 1981-2010 baseline, the study found. These findings are critical because they underscore the ongoing trend of global warming and highlight the urgency of addressing the root causes of climate change to mitigate its widespread and interconnected impacts.