According to new research, common assumptions about the effects of the end of the last ice age may be wrong, which could have important implications for the future.
What's happening?
Researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder ran computer simulations of the Earth's conditions during the ice age.
As global temperatures warmed and the ice sheets covering vast swaths of the planet melted, sea levels rose by about a centimeter each year.
According to the study's findings, which were published in the journal Nature, a surprising development occurred. Melting ice sped up movements between the continental plates and significantly increased the size of the Mid-Atlantic Ocean Ridge.
"As ice volume was greatly reduced, it caused a huge motion in Earth's crust," said Tao Yuan, one of the study's authors, as relayed by SciTechDaily.
Millions of years of continental drift were achieved in a much shorter timescale. Another consequence that may have implications for the present was a dramatic increase in volcanic activity around Iceland.
Why is this research important?
Arctic sea ice is melting at an alarming rate. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's 2024 Arctic Report Card revealed some disturbing developments. The last nine years have been the warmest on record, and sea ice is receding alarmingly. Similarly, Greenland's ice sheet mass is the lowest it has been since 2013. Worse still, the region is no longer a carbon sink but a net emitter. These developments have been fueled by human activity and the emissions caused by fossil fuels, which exacerbate extreme weather events and conditions.
The loss of sea ice could have explosive consequences, in a quite literal sense. As Yuan explained, "We think the ice melting could enhance seafloor spreading and volcanism at nearby mid-ocean ridges in the future."
Increased underwater volcanic activity can have severe outcomes for the ocean. Submarine eruptions can release harmful gases into the sea and increase acidity, harming marine life and causing deadly tsunamis.
What can be done to tackle sea ice loss?
The findings underline the urgency for humankind to pivot away from polluting fossil fuels and adopt clean, renewable energy sources. It's all connected to a broader effort to raise awareness of climate issues while making positive changes at home and in the wider community.
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