Recent observational data and modeling suggest that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), the vast system of ocean currents including the Gulf Stream, has slowed over the past two decades, reaching its weakest point in 1,600 years primarily due to climate change. A total collapse, which some studies suggest may already be unavoidable, would have far-reaching consequences: it could dramatically cool Northern Europe while the rest of the planet continues to warm, alter rainfall patterns, affect sea levels, and disrupt marine nutrient cycling. While some models predict a shutdown in the next 25 to 35 years, other oceanographers emphasize that a «collapse» doesn’t mean the system will stop completely, but rather that deep ocean currents might become less deep.
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