Climate Change
Marine heatwaves: Why is the ocean getting hotter?
Down To Earth explains how marine heatwaves form and how scientists define them
Marine heatwaves are becoming more frequent, intense and widespread — and their impacts can be devastating.
In August 2023, nearly 1,000 dead fish washed up along a 60-kilometre stretch of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coastline. Researchers linked the mass fish kill to an intense marine heatwave.
But how does the ocean get this hot?
In this video, we explain how marine heatwaves form, how scientists define them, why they can be deadly for corals, fish, kelp and seagrass, and why climate change is making extreme ocean heat more dangerous.
