© Twentieth Century FoxScene from 'The Day After Tomorrow'
In the 2004 film
The Day After Tomorrow, humanity is plunged into a nightmarish international storm that sends the planet into a new ice age. And although the blockbuster was consigned to the realms of sci-fi, the science behind the frightening scenario is true.
In a matter of years,
melting glaciers could shut down the Gulf Stream - the system of currents that brings warmth to the northern hemisphere, experts say.
Without this additional heat source, average temperatures could drop by several degrees in North America, parts of
Asia and Europe, and people would see 'severe and cascading consequences around the world'.
Scientists warn that an abrupt shutdown of Atlantic Ocean currents is looking more likely than ever, as computer simulations find a 'cliff-like' tipping point looming in the near future.
In some parts of Europe, collapse of a large system of ocean currents called the AMOC could lead to a temperature decrease of more than 5.4°F (3°C) per 10 years.
The study authors, from Utrecht University in the
Netherlands, don't know exactly when the collapse will happen, although
a previous study put it as soon as next year.'We are moving closer to the collapse, but we're not sure how much closer,' said lead author
Rene van Westen, a climate scientist and oceanographer at Utrecht University.
'We are heading towards a tipping point.'
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