Concerning study shows major ocean at risk of total collapse

Just in case you weren’t already worried about the future of our planet, a new study has found that the ocean system helping to regulate the climate could be on course to collapse.

The system that circulates water in the Atlantic, known as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), is heading for a tipping point, according to new research.

The AMOC pushes warmer water north and sends cooler water to the south and it's a key part of the ecosystem and plays a big role in the temperature of the Northern Hemisphere.

Unfortunately, it’s also impacted by climate change and new research has looked into the potential disruption global warming could have upon the AMOC and in turn the rest of the world.

Now, experts from Utrecht University in the Netherlands, have published a new study in the journal Science Advances which saw them create a mathematical model with the aim of analysing the impact of climate change on the system.

They found that if the system were to reach a tipping point and collapse after years of pressure from climate change, then it would result in a dramatic cooling of the Northern Hemisphere, most noticeable across Europe.

While the Southern Hemisphere would be slightly warmed, the study claims that temperatures in Europe could drop as much as three degrees Celsius per decade.

While the study is worrying, it’s worth noting that the collapse of the system isn’t going to happen in the very near future.

Andrew Watson is a Royal Society Research Professor and professor at the University of Exeter who said in a statement: “This sounds alarming, but it's important to note that this is not the same as saying collapse is going to happen imminently.

"They have to run their model for a long time (1700 years) and push it quite hard to make the collapse happen, so, assuming they are right, the ‘route’ could still be a long one and there may be time for us to change it."

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