Short Wave Sea Camp: Why Are Ocean Currents Shifting?
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Jul 7, 2025 
Hannah Chin, a Producer at Short Wave, dives into the fascinating world of ocean currents and their crucial role in our climate. She explains how a warming climate is shifting upper ocean currents, leading to potential sea level rise and altered fish migration patterns. The conversation touches on historical ocean mapping and highlights the impact these changes have on marine ecosystems and human life. Tune in to explore the intricate relationship between the ocean and our ever-changing planet.
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Benjamin Franklin's Gulf Stream Discovery
- Benjamin Franklin's cousin used knowledge of the Gulf Stream to cross the Atlantic much faster than official postal ships.
- Franklin mapped the Gulf Stream in the 1700s, and it remains accurate today.
Forces Driving Ocean Currents
- Ocean surface currents are driven by temperature, salinity, coastlines, wind, and Earth's rotation (Coriolis effect).
- These factors combine to create well-known currents like the Gulf Stream and California Current.
Climate Change Accelerates Currents
- Climate change causes surface ocean currents to accelerate in over three-quarters of the world's oceans due to a warming surface layer.
- Accelerated currents result from the expansion of warm surface water pushing currents to move faster.