When these “flying rivers” reach the Andes, they are pushed south and rain down on cities in South America. The Amazon jungle is immense and covers several countries. It is considered the green lung of the Earth and is one of the regions with the greatest diversity.
The precious ecosystem of this forest area, which is several hundred thousand years old, plays a key role in the global climate balance: billions of trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. In addition, the green ocean is also the largest freshwater reserve in the world.
It is to be expected that water will become scarce in the future and become as coveted a resource as oil was in the 20th century. That’s why it’s so important to know precisely the water cycles.
The Flying Rivers of the Amazon: Documentary
Twenty years ago, Brazilian scientist Antonio D. Nobre coined the term “flying rivers” to define the masses of water that circulate in rain clouds over South America. He has tirelessly researched how the rainforest works and the complex role of the rainforest in regulating the climate. His work has focused on two main questions: why are there no deserts in South America, while there are dozens of them at the same latitudes in Africa and Australia? And why can winds blowing from the northern hemisphere cross the equator here, which is an impassable barrier anywhere else on Earth?
To find answers to these questions, Professor Nobre resorted to the “biotic bomb” theory developed by two Russian physicists. According to her, the forests create a negative pressure that attracts humid air with great absorption force, which guarantees more rain. This important discovery turns previous scientific discoveries on its head.
The documentary uses, among other things, 3D models to illustrate how “flying rivers” work and explains why they influence the global climate so much.
