【fashion and eroticism】

Climate change has been disastrous for coral on fashion and eroticismAustralia's Great Barrier Reef.

It's also spelling trouble for the more than 200,000 green sea turtles which make the area home, one of the world's largest populations.

SEE ALSO: Weather and climate disasters cost the U.S. a record $306 billion in 2017

Researchers are seeing young populations in the Great Barrier Reef turn almost entirely female, according to a study published in Current Biology.

Unlike humans and most other mammals whose development of sex is determined by chromosomes, the sex of reptiles (such as turtles) is determined by an egg's incubation temperature.

Warmer temperatures results in a female being born, while cooler temperatures means males. For an exact number of female and males to be born, scientists refer to the pivotal temperature which sits at 29.3 degrees Celsius (84.74 degrees Fahrenheit) for the green sea turtle.

But here's the thing: There's a range of only a few degrees separating the possibility of 100 percent males or females. Certainly a concern, as global warming continues.

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

"This research is so important because it provides a new understanding of what these populations are dealing with," the paper's lead author and NOAA marine biologist, Michael Jensen, said in a statement.

"Knowing what the sex ratios in the adult breeding population are today and what they might look like 5, 10 and 20 years from now when these young turtles grow up and become adults is going to be incredibly valuable."

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

There are two distinct populations of green sea turtles along the Great Barrier Reef. On warmer northern nesting beaches, researchers noted 99.1 percent of juveniles, 99.8 percent of subadults, and 86.8 percent of adults were female.

Down in the cooler south, the population was 65 percent to 69 percent female. Left unchecked, the lack of males in future could be detrimental to green sea turtle populations.

"First back-to-back mass coral bleaching and now we find that virtually no male northern green turtles are being born," WWF-Australia CEO Dermot O’Gorman said in a statement.

"Finding that there are next to no males among young northern green turtles should ring alarm bells, but all is not lost for this important population. Scientists and wildlife managers now know what they are facing and can come up with practical ways to help the turtles."

In the case of the endangered loggerhead turtle, Queensland's Department of Environment have experimented with shade cloths help keep nests cool and produce more males.

Ultimately, as O'Gorman notes, more needs to be done to achieve ambitious climate change targets -- something much of the world is proving to be not good at committing to, so far.

---

Featured Video For You

---

This robot can plow the snow for you

---

• Social Good
• Tech
• Digital Culture
• Life
• Entertainment
• Games
• Science
• Deals

• Skates in the deep sea may incubate eggs near 'black smoker' vents
• Kelly Clarkson wigs up for a killer Halloween cover of Sia's 'Chandelier'
• Apple and Microsoft face off with new MacBook Pros and Surface Studio PC
• 'Faker' wins MVP as SKT claims another 'League of Legends' championship
• Classified Zuma spacecraft may have failed after SpaceX launch
• Elon Musk at solar panel unveiling: 'We need to make solar as appealing as electric cars'
• 10 iPhone 7 cases that really make a statement
• Here's how to find your polling place — and where to eat or drink after
• Nvidia RTX 5070: Where to buy and is it worth the upgrade?
• Commentator goes nuts after 'CS:GO' pro wins round with a no

• Thieving teens return stolen bike with an apology letter and full tank of gas
• Most of Westeros is leaderless now, and nobody on 'Game of Thrones' has noticed
• There are now over 3 billion social media users around the world
• Google employee who wrote sexist manifesto identified
• 'Game of Thrones' review round
• Excellent 'Metal Gear Solid' shirt commemorates the series' undeniable homoeroticism
• Netflix buys Millarworld, teams up with comic book legend Mark Millar
• Rich residents just found out someone bought their street and they are not happy
• Yes, that controversial Google diversity rant matters. Like, really matters.
• Pilotless planes could be here by 2025 if anyone wants to fly in them

• Best soundbar deal: Get $50 off the Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus
• 'Westworld' just revealed a major secret about the Man in Black
• Proof that David Pumpkins belongs in every horror movie
• 'Westworld' just revealed a major secret about the Man in Black
• Razer Kishi V2 deal: Snag one for 50% off
• 'Inferno' brings the 'Da Vinci Code' series to a new box office low
• Eddie Vedder will try to save the Chicago Cubs' season
• Watch an NFL official awkwardly kick a dildo off the football field
• Tesla sales are reportedly falling globally. How bad is it?
• Eddie Vedder will try to save the Chicago Cubs' season

• Best Garmin deal: Save over $30 on Forerunner 55
• Nurx wants you to get birth control from an app
• Why the guy who changed his name to 'iPhone 7' is cooler than you think
• Oh good, someone dressed up as the viral Gumby dog video for Halloween
• Tesla used car prices are cratering
• The Weeknd announces 2017 tour dates in support of 'Starboy'
• Little Caesars costume wins dude the most friends on Halloween
• Glowing Vincent van Gogh costume will illuminate your Halloween
• EPA's leader is open to reconsidering crucial climate assessment
• Eddie Vedder commits clumsy error, fails Cubs history