Scientists revisit a forgotten Soviet plan to dam the Bering Strait and see if it could help protect Earth's climate

Soviet engineer Petr Borisov proposed damming the Bering Strait in the 1950s to warm Siberia and transform frozen lands into agricultural areas.

Modern researchers are studying closing the Bering Strait to stabilize ocean circulation, specifically the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC).

A study in Science Advances examines how a constructed closure of the Bering Strait could affect AMOC tipping behavior.

The Bering Strait connects the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, and its freshwater throughflow influences Arctic and North Atlantic circulation.

Scientists remain cautious about such large-scale environmental interventions due to potential risks and uncertainties.