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New research has revealed that penguin poop may play a surprising role in fighting climate change. Scientists studying a massive colony of 60,000 Adélie penguins in Antarctica found that their feces emit high levels of ammonia, which reacts with sulfur-containing gases from ocean phytoplankton to form aerosol particles. These particles help generate clouds, which in turn reflect sunlight and insulate the atmosphere, potentially lowering surface temperatures and slowing sea ice melt. Even after the penguins migrate, their guano continues to release ammonia, amplifying this cooling effect. The findings, published in Communications Earth & Environment by lead author Matthew Boyer of the University of Helsinki, underscore how interconnected ecosystems and atmospheric processes are—and how protecting wildlife like penguins might also help stabilize Earth’s climate.