Insight by Nature
The global thermohaline conveyor is driven mainly by density differences because temperature and salinity set seawater density—colder, saltier water becomes dense and sinks while lighter water rises, producing a deep, slow circulation largely independent of winds.
Want more like this?
Every card on Korva is an insight someone saved from a podcast or video they loved.
More from @nature's Picks
See all →The Gulf Stream acts like a massive heat pump for Europe because it transports vast volumes of warm seawater and releases that heat into the atmosphere, substantially raising regional temperatures compared with similar latitudes.
Army ant swarms generally avoid fighting each other because a clash between two lethal social armies would likely cause mutual annihilation, so natural selection favors passing, retreating, or other avoidance behaviors to prevent catastrophic losses.
Ocean currents shape large-scale weather and climate because they carry warm water and the heat it contains from the equator toward the poles, redistributing solar energy and altering atmospheric temperature patterns.