Friday off-topic: The Doomsday glacier
Feb. 6th, 2026 07:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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talkpoliticsJust read this fascinating piece on the "Doomsday Glacier" in Antarctica - the Thwaites Glacier - and how it could raise sea levels by over 60 cm if it collapses: LINK
Right now, scientists are installing sensors and cables on and around Thwaites to understand it better. One bold idea being studied is a massive underwater "curtain" that could block warm water from eating away at the glacier's base. It would have to be huge - up to 150 m high and 80 km long - but if it works, it might slow down the collapse.
Some see this kind of geoengineering as essential since global warming isn't slowing down fast enough. Others warn it's risky, expensive, and might distract from the real solution: cutting emissions. Still, with rising seas threatening coastal cities, people are debating whether interventions like this are worth trying.
Whatever happens, the future of Thwaites is a real-world test of how far humanity might go to protect the planet.
And here's a great visual explanation on YouTube:
Right now, scientists are installing sensors and cables on and around Thwaites to understand it better. One bold idea being studied is a massive underwater "curtain" that could block warm water from eating away at the glacier's base. It would have to be huge - up to 150 m high and 80 km long - but if it works, it might slow down the collapse.
Some see this kind of geoengineering as essential since global warming isn't slowing down fast enough. Others warn it's risky, expensive, and might distract from the real solution: cutting emissions. Still, with rising seas threatening coastal cities, people are debating whether interventions like this are worth trying.
Whatever happens, the future of Thwaites is a real-world test of how far humanity might go to protect the planet.
And here's a great visual explanation on YouTube:
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