The Deep-Sea Conveyor Belt

When we talk about climate change, we usually look up. But some of Earth’s most powerful climate controls are moving far below our feet.

In this episode of The Climate Translation, Dr. Mac explores the planet’s deep-sea conveyor belt, part of the slow, geological carbon cycle that has helped regulate Earth’s temperature for billions of years. He explains how ocean sediments, tectonic plates, and volcanic processes quietly move carbon in and out of the atmosphere over immense spans of time.

The key translation is speed. While Earth’s natural carbon system works on million-year timelines, human activity is releasing buried carbon in mere decades. Understanding this contrast helps explain why today’s warming is overwhelming systems that were never built to respond this fast, and why cutting emissions matters more than trying to out-engineer geology.

CC0 Music from Charles Korpics - I want to Live! (Again)