The article examines how carbon gets moved around in the ocean and whether marine life helps remove carbon dioxide from the air. They compared how much organic carbon and carbonate carbon – which affect where carbon goes in the environment – are transported in oceans worldwide. Organic carbon, made by sea creatures, mostly traps carbon dioxide, acting like a sponge. In the deep subtropical oceans, organic and carbonate carbon amounts are close. Coastal and slightly deep oceans have more carbon moving around. Even though shallow seas play a big role in handling human-made carbon, they drain less carbon over long periods. Different sides of the northern Pacific have various carbon levels, hinting varying ecosystems can impact carbon movement. So, disturbing the balance of marine environments may not always help clear atmospheric carbon dioxide.