In a recent TikTok video, renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson addressed a common question: why is ocean water salty while rivers and lakes remain fresh? Tyson attributes the difference in salinity to the accumulation of water in oceans over time.
Tyson begins by questioning why ocean water tastes salty, noting that rain and rivers do not have the same flavor profile. He explains that the key lies in the way water from different sources interacts with minerals. Rainwater collects minerals such as sodium and chloride, which are washed into rivers and eventually flow into the ocean.
“The oceans are not going anywhere,” Tyson states. “They are the planet”s chemical trap, never emptying.” This accumulation of minerals over time contributes to the characteristic salinity of ocean water.
In his concluding remarks, Tyson invites viewers to remember that when they taste seawater, they are experiencing the remnants of ancient mountains, dissolved over eons and stored in Earth”s final basin.
