New research uncovers stunning global impact of penguin poop: 'They have a synergistic role'

Who knew penguin poop could be so good for the environment? Researchers are finding that the ammonia released from these adorable waddlers can help form clouds to combat rising temperatures, reported ABC News.

According to the researchers, when ammonia from penguin poop mixes with ocean gases, it helps create tiny particles that water can stick to. This increases moisture in the air, aiding cloud formation. Extra cloud coverage lowers surface temperatures, which can ease heatwaves, reduce energy demand and costs for cooling homes, and decrease sea ice melt, a growing problem in the Arctic.

"They have a synergistic role for the formation of particles in the atmosphere," Matthew Boyer, a researcher at the University of Helsinki's Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, explained to ABC News.

It's not the first time experts have identified penguins as environmental helpers.

Aside from being incredibly fun to watch, penguins act as both predators and prey in their arctic habitats, balancing the food chain naturally. They also transport land nutrients to the sea, and vice versa, to support biodiversity in both ecosystems.

Interestingly, the very thing penguins can help control — the changing climate — is also one of their biggest threats.

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Rising temperatures lead to melting ice in the Arctic environments where penguins live and breed. Sea ice is crucial for penguins, as they use it to form breeding colonies and nests and as a platform for hunting food.

According to BirdLife, about half of all penguin species are listed as vulnerable or endangered. One study even predicted that emperor penguins could be extinct by 2100. Protecting penguin habitats can allow populations to thrive and continue playing their natural role in keeping ecosystems healthy.

The researchers tracking the benefits of penguin poop hope that their discovery can lead to other positive environmental changes around the world, particularly surrounding global temperatures.

"Understanding what's happening locally in Antarctica ... allows us to predict how things could change in the future for other regions of the planet too," Boyer said.