How do ocean currents move heat around the planet?

Ocean currents act like a global conveyor belt that redistributes heat around Earth. Surface currents are driven mainly by winds, while the Coriolis effect from Earth’s rotation deflects their paths. Deep currents are influenced by differences in water density, which depend on temperature and salinity; this process is called thermohaline circulation. Together, these currents affect weather, marine ecosystems, and the climate of entire continents. The Gulf Stream is one of the best-known examples of a current that carries warm water toward the North Atlantic.