the-star-stuff:

Magnificent Marine Algae Blooms Seen From Space

When microscopic marine organisms known as phytoplankton multiply into a dense population at the ocean’s surface, massive blooms can spread so far that they can only be seen from space. These algal blooms create beautiful patterns that can stretch for hundreds of miles and trace the ocean’s swirling currents.

More on phytoplankton from NASA’s Earth Observatory.

(via sagansense)