Resilient algae darken glacier surface and may speed up Greenland ice melt, study finds

Glaciers are huge white ice masses that can reflect a lot of sunlight. However, especially where the glaciers are not covered in snow and the bare ice is exposed, they sometimes have dark patches. These are microscopic algae that grow on the ice and darken its surface. As a result of this darkening, the tiny inhabitants cause the ice to warm up and melt faster.