Sea levels are rising more than expected, according to scientists
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Sea levels are rising more than expected, according to scientists
Sea levels rose 10 meters above present levels during Earth's last warm period 125,000 years ago, according to new research that offers a glimpse of what may happen under our current climate change trajectory.
Our paper, published today in Nature Communications, shows that melting ice from Antarctica was the main driver of sea-level rise in the last interglacial period, which lasted about 10,000 years.
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Rising sea levels are one of the biggest challenges to humanity posed by climate change, and sound predictions are crucial if we are to adapt.
This research shows that Antarctica, long thought to be the "sleeping giant" of sea-level rise, is actually a key player. Its ice sheets can change quickly, and in ways that could have huge implications for coastal communities and infrastructure in the future.
A warning from the past
Earth's cycles consist of both cold glacial periods – or ice ages – when large parts of the world are covered in large ice sheets, and warmer interglacial periods when the ice thaws and sea levels rise.
The Earth is presently in an interglacia