Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell

The Gulf Stream Explained

10 insights saved from this video by @nature

@nature· Planet Earth
Scientists disagree about the conveyor belt’s future, but climate change will alter ocean currents and winds in poorly understood ways.
@nature· Planet Earth
Deep-water “Chimneys” drop water 4,000 meters through 15-kilometer-wide pillars at 17 million cubic meters per second, roughly 15 rivers’ worth.
@nature· Planet Earth
The Gulf Stream carries heat equivalent to one million nuclear power plants, keeping Europe five to ten degrees warmer.
@nature· Planet Earth
During the last ice age, meltwater weakened the North Atlantic Current and covered the Northern Hemisphere in ice.
@nature· Planet Earth
The Gulf Stream travels 10,000 kilometers, moves 2 meters per second, and carries 100 million cubic meters of water per second toward Europe.
@nature· Planet Earth
Trade winds push warm water into the Gulf of Mexico, where it reaches roughly 30°C before Earth’s rotation steers it toward Europe.
@nature· Planet Earth
Near Europe, the Gulf Stream releases heat, becomes colder and saltier, then sinks between Greenland, Norway, and Iceland.
@nature· Planet Earth
North Atlantic downwelling creates a powerful maelstrom that pulls in new water and sustains the Gulf Stream toward Europe.
@nature· Planet Earth
Thermohaline circulation runs on density: warm water rises, while cold or saltier water sinks.
@nature· Planet Earth
Ocean currents move heat from the equator toward the poles, directly shaping weather and climate worldwide.

More from Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell

See everything from Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell

Keep what you found in The Gulf Stream Explained

A free account saves any of these cards to your Collection, and Korva resurfaces them so you actually remember.