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Scientists have developed a new way of determining from satellite images the amount of photosynthesis in the ocean. As compared to previous measurements, the new values are sometimes different by a factor of two or more, depending on the region.

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants convert sunlight, carbon dioxide and water into food. In the ocean, this conversion, also called “primary production,” is carried out by phytoplankton, microscopic organisms that form the base of the ocean’s food chain.