Buzz
At least 19 species, both extinct and living, have been named in honor of the legendary British naturalist Sir David Attenborough. For the first time, one of his documentary series will share that distinction. According to the BBC, a newly discovered phytoplankton now carries the name of the acclaimed BBC series, Blue Planet.
The latter part of the species' name, Syracosphaera azureaplaneta, translates from Latin as "blue planet," making it the first creature to be named after a television program. These single-celled organisms are minuscule—just a fraction of a millimeter wide, thinner than a human hair. However, their vast blooms, visible from space, cover the ocean's surface. Known as coccolithophores, these plankton provide food for many marine species and serve as key indicators for scientists studying climate change impacts on the ocean. Their discovery, made by researchers at University College London (UCL) and partner institutions in Spain and Japan, is documented in a study published in the Journal of Nannoplankton Research.
"They are a crucial part of the entire process of oxygen production and carbon dioxide regulation. Disturbing this system has wide-reaching effects, reverberating throughout the atmosphere," Attenborough remarked during his acceptance speech at UCL.
The Blue Planet first aired in 2001, featuring eight episodes, each focused on a different region of the world's oceans. The series' immense popularity led to a follow-up, Blue Planet II, which premiered on the BBC last year.
