Noisy Oceans Problem for Marine Mammals

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC - As the world's oceans become more acidic, the underwater sounds that whales and other marine mammals depend on for survival may turn into a confusing racket, a new study says.

That's because the ocean's ability to conduct sound is expected to increase dramatically due to global warming. The shift could make it easier for rare whales to find each other and reproduce, researchers say.

More likely, though, the effect would be comparable to a person in a crowded place straining to talk over all the chatter.