Melting of polar ice caps heralds the approach of Doomsday - sea levels coiuld rise by 10ft

Scottish researchers have indicated that if the West Antarctic ice sheet starts to melt as a result of rise in global temperatures, the sea levels would rise and swamp coastal towns and cities around the world. The researchers claim that loss of ice in West Antarctica caused by a warming ocean could increase sea levels by as much as 10ft (3 metres).
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 3 February 2016.

This study is the first of its kind by which researchers were able to gauge how levels of ice covering the land have changed over hundreds of thousands of years. For this, they studied the peaks protruding through ice in the Ellsworth Mountains, on the Atlantic flank of Antarctica. They assessed changes on slopes at various heights on the mountainside, which indicate levels previously reached by the ice sheet. Moreover, they mapped the distribution of boulders on the mountainside, that had been deposited by melting glaciers.
Subsequently, they took the help of chemical technology - known as exposure dating - to determine how long the rocks had been exposed to the atmosphere, and their age.
The findings indicated that during previous warm periods, a substantial amount of ice would have been lost from the West Antarctic ice sheet by ocean melting, but it would not have melted entirely. From this, it concluded that ice would have been lost from areas below sea level, but not on upland areas.
As per the study, parts of the West Antarctic ice sheet would have existed continuously for at least 1.4 million years but, once global temperatures continues to rise, it would lead to the oceans becoming warmer. Thereby, there would be a substantial amount of loss of ice from the sheet.

Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Some more interesting links -

Abhi Shake for industries to boost Bengal’s image (satire)

Rum Mudda reminds Moody about temples (satire)

Didi is allergic to anything red (satire)


Odisha offers windsurfing, snorkeling and other water sports on the Mahanadi River

Goat farming brings joy to people of Nag Tibba in Tehri

Foods that help to lower cholesterol levels and control heart disease


“The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar” - Disney’s upcoming television movie

'Avatar 2', sequel to 'Avatar' of 2009 expected to release in December 2017

Aamir Khan no longer the face of Incredible India


Bomb attack kills 9 persons in Cairo near road leading to Egyptian pyramids

Woman with fake passport in a British Airways flight from Ibiza leads to panic

Tourists to Morocco told by Foreign Office to be vigilant about possible terror attacks

If all of East Antarctic Ice Sheet melted it would increase sea levels by 50-meters

#climatechange #globalwarming #EastAntarctica #TottenGlacier Warning has been given that melting of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet due to global warming will increase the level of oceans by as much as 50-meters and this is alarming. This has been revealed by another major study that has highlighted the alarming potential impact of climate change on the East Antarctic Ice Sheet which is also known as the vast "sleeping giant" of the frozen continent.
This has been reported in nzherald.co.nz dated 27 November 2015.

The EAIS makes up much of Antarctica and has long been regarded by scientists to be much more stable when compared with the smaller, 25 million square kilometre West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Satellite measurements have estimated that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet was losing more than 150 cubic kilometres of ice each year.
Satellite observations have also indicated that certain parts of the EAIS were currently thinning in response to a warming ocean. A recent Australian expedition reached the typically inaccessible Totten Glacier to gain some of the first direct evidence.
A conclusion can be drawn that the wider ice sheet's contribution to future sea level rise could be much greater than anticipated and, in the event of it melting, the EAIS would contribute an equivalent of around 50 metres of sea level rise.
The study was carried out by a New Zealand-led team - they studied rocks at different elevations beside the East Antarctic sheet, the research team came to the conclusion that a period of rapid glacier thinning occurred in the recent geological past, and has persisted for several centuries.
Till now, most of the research had focused on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Therefore, these observations from East Antarctica become all the more significant.

Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

The 'Pat & Jolie' instant noodles worry Lord Shiva (satire)

Make in India (satire)

Pat & Jolie and their biscuit making (satire)


Murder of Uzbek belly dancers in Hapur

Maggi instant noodles - 3.3-crore packets vanish within 10 days

Indians hate holidays - India is 4th most holiday-starved nation


Music venues in UK beef up their security in view of Paris terror attacks

Academy Award winner Kate Winslet and The Dressmaker

Sir Terry Wogan drops out of presenting Children In Need citing health reasons


The terror attacks in Paris bring Obama and Putin into a huddle

France joins Russia in joint airstrikes against ISIS in Raqqa

Suicide bombings by Boko Haram kill 49 in Nigeria