Our ocean is a network of currents that circulate water around the world, called gyres. There are a total of five sub-tropical gyres (North Pacific, North Atlantic, South Pacific, South Atlantic, Indian Ocean).
These five massive, slow rotating whirlpools accumulate marine debris and especially plastics which do not wear down; they simply break into tinier and tinier pieces, that will remain in the ocean for decades or longer.
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Collaborator: Giulia De Amicis, Information designer
Scientific illustrations: Heleen Sieborgs
Photos: Courtesy of Reuters, Algalita Marine Research Foundation, Waterlogic
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