Study links North Atlantic 'cold blob' to potential AMOC collapse and climate tipping point
By
Laura Paddison
Crackling crust, pillowy middle. The kind of bagel that earns a second cup of coffee.
Summary
A large patch of water in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Greenland and Iceland, has been cooling by nearly 1°C since 1900 while the rest of the ocean warms. A new study claims to have solved this mystery, linking the "cold blob" to a potential collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) — a major climate tipping point. The cooling is attributed to an influx of freshwater from melting Greenland ice sheets, which disrupts ocean currents. Scientists warn this could signal a looming climate catastrophe with severe global consequences.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledWhile the rest of the ocean heats up, it's been getting colder.
A new study says it has the answer to this mystery — and it's an ominous sign the world is hurtling toward one of the most alarming climate tipping points.
The swath of ocean — dubbed the 'cold blob' or 'warming hole' — has cooled by nearly 1 degree Celsius (1.8 Fahrenheit) since 1900.
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