‘Sea snot’ covers Turkey’s Sea of Marmara because of global warming

Aerial footage shows the blue waters of Turkey’s Sea of Marmara covered in a thick beige viscous substance known colloquially as “sea snot.”

The disgusting-looking substance is the result of rising water temperatures caused by global warming, as well as raw sewage and agricultural runoff, according to scientists.

High levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in the Sea of Marmara are causing phytoplankton to grow out of control and exude the “sea snot.” Though not harmful itself, the mucus attracts viruses and bacteria, and can suffocate fish by blanketing the water’s surface.