Clouds of pollution over the Indian Ocean, also known as brown clouds, appear to cause the local atmosphere to become much warmer.

The particles in the clouds cool the land and sea below because they reflect heat back out of the atmosphere. But new research shows they cause the atmosphere to retain even more heat.

The heat retained by these particles may be a major cause of shrinking glaciers in the Himalayas. Melt water from Himalayan glaciers and snow fields provides drinking water for two fifths of the world’s population.

Read more on this from the BBC