The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a critical system of ocean currents around the Atlantic Ocean, is weakening and could be closer to collapse than previously thought, according to two new studies. The AMOC, which transports heat, salt and freshwater through the ocean, functions like a conveyor belt and influences climate, weather and sea levels around the planet. The research suggests that human-driven global warming is disrupting its balance of heat and salinity, with one study predicting it could collapse as soon as next decade. An AMOC collapse would cause chaos, push Europe into a winter deep freeze, accelerate sea level rise along the East Coast of the US, and cause prolonged droughts across Africa. The findings suggest that the weakening of the AMOC could trigger a tipping point as early as the middle of this century.