━━ These whirlpools are often as big as cities and will swallow up everything in their path.
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The oceans are mysterious because they are not so well explored. Anything can be hidden in the depths, which inspires both fear of the unknown and fascination. Sometimes phenomena appear that raise many questions. One such phenomenon is the “black hole”, which devours everything that comes near it.
Black holes are always talked about in connection with the universe. But experts said they are also found in some form in the oceans. They are said to be similar in principle to water vortices, whose force creates a powerful circular vortex that literally swallows everything in its vicinity.
This anomaly was first spotted in 2013 in the southern Atlantic Ocean thanks to satellite images taken by researchers from ETH Zurich and the University of Miami.
The researchers state in their scientific report that these vortices are mathematically equivalent to black holes in space, which are rifts in space-time that attract anything that gets too close to them. In practice, this means that vortices do the same thing to water as black holes do to light.
Ocean currents play a vital role in influencing climate, and so do these huge eddies that permeate across the ocean. Their numbers are said to be increasing enormously and are often truly gigantic. They stir up billions of tonnes of water and are even bigger than cities.
Basically, they function as vessels, a form of water funnel. A strong stream of water, through rotation, pulls everything into itself and traps it because there is no escape. They have immense power to swallow ships, debris, animals and anything else that comes near them.
At first glance, they may not look dangerous, as they may only appear to you as a gentle movement of the surface. But underneath it is actually an incredibly powerful swirling system, known to scientists as a coherent vortex. Once an object crosses the boundary of the circular path, there’s no turning back.
Vortices are also attributed with a positive character, as they serve as a “water taxi”. They transport all kinds of microorganisms such as plankton or plastic waste and oil across the ocean. They also move warm, salty water northwards.
Scientists have noticed this phenomenon through underwater sensors and satellite images. They report that the eddies are capable of carrying the absorbed contents hundreds of kilometres away.
These giant whirlpools are a truly fascinating natural phenomenon. Although they are frightening, they also offer a positive impact. The advice is simple: it’s not wise to go near these vortices.
