Why does it feel like there is always a threat of imminent danger lurking around every corner? I swear, every week, a new study or data comes out showing us how much closer to the end of the world we are; it's terrifying. Now, scientists have issued a stark warning to the world about the Antarctic Ice Sheet. There is the very real possibility that this ice sheet could collapse. If that were to happen, it could cause irreversible global damage. Buckle up, buttercups, this is not a feel-good article.
Scientists Issue Stark Warning About The Antarctic Ice Sheet
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LadBible shares that the Antarctic Ice Sheet is "a vast body of frozen freshwater that contains approximately 750,000 cubic miles of ice." That is a massive chunk of ice! While it is impressive to behold, it is also a bit terrifying, as something of that size could cause considerable damage. Unfortunately, that is precisely what scientists are predicting. Due to global warming, the temperature of our oceans is rising. With rising ocean temperatures, this massive ice sheet is at risk of collapsing entirely.
A natural feature of this magnitude collapsing could "cause the sea-level to rise by an unprecedented amount," causing damage across the globe. David Chandler, the author of the study investigating this potential collapse, recently spoke at the Norwegian Research Center about it. He admitted that if the Antarctic Ice Sheet were to collapse, sea levels could potentially rise over the next few hundred years.
While that may seem like a long time, and not an imminent threat, he suggests otherwise. Even with a slow melt, the collapse could result in major flooding in cities and towns, particularly along the coasts. Additionally, small island nations could be forced underwater completely, leaving many homeless. Luckily, at our current state and climate, Chandler thinks the collapse state will be slow. However, he warns that if we do not control global warming, the speed and rate of the collapse will increase.
More On This Impressive Ice Sheet
Scientists issue the warning that even if just a small portion of this ice sheet melts, it could cause a "devastating sea-level rise." Furthermore, LadBible shares that Chandler mentions that "ice sheet influences climate itself." Therefore, having it melt and collapse would have a direct impact on countries around the world. Then he argued that this ice sheet has two stable states: one in which the ice sheet remains in place, and the other in which it collapses.
He mentions that once the sheet is back in its collapsed state, "reversal back to its present-day state would need thousands of years of cool temperatures." Essentially, the collapse of the Antarctic Ice Sheet would cause irreversible damage, at least for the duration of our lifetimes.
