Each year from July to November, up to a dozen typhoons,
a corruption of the Chinese word for "great wind",
head northwest towards China.
Typhoons are becoming more frequent as sea temperatures rise, aided by a global increase in greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide.
But satellite pictures have revealed a surprising twist.
It seems that typhoons can pull deep, nutrient-rich seawater up to the surface
causing plankton blooms, which in turn soak up large quantities of carbon dioxide.