It’s Too Late For Greenland’s Melting Ice Sheet, Scientists Say

It’s Too Late For Greenland’s Melting Ice Sheet, Scientists Say
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Greenland’s ice sheet might have reached the point of no return on the path to disappear completely.

Snowfall replenishes Greenland’s glaciers yearly, but it can no longer keep up with the speed the ice melts, researchers from Ohio State University say.

Therefore, Greenland’s ice sheet would continue to melt even if temperatures remained constant.

The Study

The study, which was posted on Thursday in the journal Nature, presented how scientists analyzed 40 years of monthly satellite data from over two hundred big glaciers melting into Greenland’s adjacent oceans.

Michalea King, the study’s lead author and researcher, stated:

“What we’ve found is that the ice that’s discharging into the ocean is far surpassing the snow that’s accumulating on the surface of the ice sheet.”

Impact

If all of Greenland’s ice sheet melted by the year 3000, the sea levels would rise by 23 feet.

If that happens, coastal cities across the globe will be swallowed by water.

Greenland’s ice sheet is the most significant contributor to the rise of sea-levels.

In the next eight decades, the current melting rate would raise sea levels by 2.75 inches, a study from 2019 says.

Ian Howat, a glaciologist and co-author on the paper, stated:

“Glacier retreat has knocked the dynamics of the whole ice sheet into a constant state of loss.”

“Even if the climate were to stay the same or even get a little colder, the ice sheet would still be losing mass,” he added.

Unfortunately, this is one of the many unfavorable consequences provoked by human activity.

Still, there is time left to fix other mistakes that could lead to more significant disasters.

We should be more considerate about the environment and our planet. It’s not like we’ll be able to massively migrate to Mars anytime soon!


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I am a pop culture and social media expert. Aside from writing about the latest news health, I also enjoy pop culture and Yoga. I have BA in American Cultural Studies and currently enrolled in a Mass-Media MA program. I like to spend my spring breaks volunteering overseas.

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