Doomsday Glacier collapse! Time for MORE human intervention??

Thwaites Glacier, also known as the Doomsday Glacier, is experiencing concerning melting due to warm ocean water, potentially leading to significant sea level rise and impacting coastal communities globally. While some research suggests potential stabilization, others indicate accelerating destabilization, prompting debate on the feasibility and ethics of geoengineering interventions to mitigate the effects of glacier melting, with scientists still needing more time to understand the full implications of such interventions.

Thwaites Glacier

• 00:01:29 Thwaites Glacier, also known as the Doomsday Glacier, is a major concern due to its potential for rapid melting and significant sea level rise. Its location in West Antarctica, where the ice sheet is less stable, makes it particularly vulnerable. If it were to melt completely, it could cause a one-meter rise in sea level, potentially displacing millions of people.

Warming Ocean Water

• 00:03:34 Global ocean surface temperatures have risen to alarming levels, driving warmer water towards Antarctica. This warm water is causing significant disruption and damage, particularly to the Thwaites Glacier. While the El Nino event contributes to the warming, its impact is insufficient to fully explain the temperature increase.

MICI Hypothesis

• 00:04:49 The Marine Ice Cliff Instability (MICI) hypothesis suggests that retreating glaciers form unstable ice cliffs prone to collapse, potentially accelerating the melting process. However, recent research suggests that glacier thinning might actually stabilize these ice cliffs, potentially reducing the rate of ice loss. This challenges previous predictions and requires further investigation.

Geoengineering Debate

• 00:06:14 The possibility of human intervention to slow down glacier melting through geoengineering is debated. Proponents argue that radical interventions are necessary to reverse the damage already done, while opponents express concerns about the unpredictability of such interventions and the risk of diverting attention from addressing the root cause of climate change.

Geoengineering Solutions

• 00:08:04 Various geoengineering solutions are proposed, such as building underwater curtains, pumping seawater onto the ice surface, constructing artificial barriers, and scattering reflective materials. However, each proposal faces immense logistical and technological challenges, alongside potential unforeseen consequences for the environment and ecosystems, leading to a lack of consensus among scientists on their viability and feasibility.