What would happen if our oceans became freshwater?

A world without salt water would be a boon to humanity, but it would also devastate marine life and significantly affect our global temperatures and weather, making human life on Earth extremely complicated.

Water is a vital resource for all life on Earth, but in reality, it is becoming increasingly scarce. For thousands of years, humans have struggled with issues related to providing clean water, from building water supply systems, to developing water purification technologies, to water conservation initiatives.

In that context, a question that may have many people thinking is: "What would happen if our oceans were no longer salty?" . Would a world with freshwater oceans bring a bright future, or would it lead to unpredictable consequences for both marine life and the Earth's climate?

About 3.8 billion years ago, the water on this planet was originally pure fresh water. (Illustration photo).

To understand this better, we need to go back to the formation of the oceans and the properties of seawater . About 3.8 billion years ago, when the Earth formed and cooled after the tectonic plates broke apart, the water on the planet was originally pure fresh water. In the early stages of Earth's history, there was no salt in the oceans, and the water on the planet's surface was very pure.

However, the change happened very quickly. As the climate cycles began, rainwater, which had dissolved small amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, became slightly acidic and began to erode rocks on the Earth's surface. This erosion released salts and minerals into streams and rivers, which eventually flowed into the oceans. This created a continuous cycle of rainwater, rock erosion, and the transfer of minerals into the oceans. This process has continued for billions of years, and as a result, our planet's oceans now contain a large amount of salt.

So if we calculate the total amount of salt in the oceans, the number is quite impressive. If the salt grains from the oceans were evenly distributed over the entire land area, the salt layer would be up to 40 stories high! It is no wonder that today, 97% of the water on the planet is salt water and only 3% is fresh water.

With freshwater shortages becoming more and more serious , the idea of ​​a salt-free ocean – that is, seawater converted to freshwater – has been posited as an ideal solution to the problem. If the oceans contained freshwater, humans would have easy access to an inexhaustible resource that could quench the thirst of billions of people around the world. But is this really a solution or just a dangerous illusion?

The idea of ​​a salt-free ocean has been proposed as a solution to the shortage of fresh water. (Illustration photo).

To answer this question, we need to understand that this change will have a profound impact on marine ecosystems, climate, and human life.

The marine ecosystem is incredibly diverse and rich. It is estimated that there are about 230,000 identified marine species, but this number could be as high as 2 million if undiscovered marine species are taken into account. These species have adapted to saltwater environments over millions of years of evolution. However, if the oceans were to become freshwater, this would cause a major crisis in the marine ecosystem.

One of the groups of organisms that would be most severely affected would be plankton and algae . These organisms play a vital role in sustaining life in the oceans. Algae, for example, account for nearly half of the photosynthesis on the planet. Algae photosynthesis not only helps produce oxygen for the planet, but also absorbs carbon dioxide, helping to regulate the climate. If algae and plankton could not survive in freshwater environments, we would not only face a lack of oxygen but also a large amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, exacerbating the problem of climate change.

Saltwater fish such as tuna, sharks and whales have evolved to live in saltwater environments, and they have the ability to drink salt water to sustain their lives. These species have developed complex mechanisms to process the excess salt in their bodies, allowing them to survive in saltwater environments. Meanwhile, fish such as salmon are capable of living in both fresh and saltwater, but they are special cases and cannot represent all saltwater fish species. If the seawater environment becomes freshwater, most saltwater fish species will not be able to survive and will become extinct. This will disrupt the marine food chain, and have negative impacts on the entire marine ecosystem.

 If the seawater environment became freshwater, most saltwater fish species would become extinct.

Marine plants, especially seaweed, would also be severely affected if seawater were to become freshwater. Seaweed not only provides oxygen to the planet, but is also a food source for millions of marine creatures. Seaweed is an important part of the food chain in ocean ecosystems. Without algae, we would experience a shortage of oxygen and a large amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This would not only affect marine life, but also directly impact humans, as seaweed plays an important role in climate regulation and provides food for many creatures.

Changes in the structure of the oceans and the loss of warm water currents will have a profound impact on the global climate . These currents not only help regulate the temperature of the oceans, but also affect the climate of continental regions. In the equatorial region, warm water currents regulate temperatures, while in the polar regions they cool the air and regulate weather. Without salt water in the oceans, these currents will be disrupted, leading to serious changes in the global climate. Areas near the equator could become extremely hot, while the polar regions would become much colder. Weather phenomena such as hurricanes, tsunamis and natural disasters would become more frequent and more dangerous .

A world without salt water would have negative impacts.

While the idea of ​​a freshwater ocean, where humans could easily access clean water, might seem like a solution to our current water shortages, the reality is much more complicated. A world without saltwater would have devastating effects on marine ecosystems, the global climate, and ultimately human life. Marine ecosystems would be devastated, food chains would be disrupted, and the climate would change in unimaginable ways.

Instead of wishing for a freshwater ocean, we need to realize that everything in nature is interconnected and that small changes in one place can have big consequences elsewhere. Instead of dreaming of a saltwater-free world, we should focus on protecting our remaining freshwater resources, preserving marine ecosystems, and responding to climate change to protect the planet for future generations.