Wouldn’t you just know it? Here we are, cringing at the thought of the horrors that unchecked global warming might have in store for us, and the scientists come up with yet another Doom scenario to keep us awake.
Bill McGuire*, of the Aon Benfield Institute at UCL, has revealed that the melting of ice caps can do more than just flood us and possibly release methane clathrate gas to superheat the atmosphere.
It can cause earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions.
The ice layers at the cold ends of the Earth are kilometres in thickness. But even that depth isn’t secure. Recent studies show that thousands of metres have already been lost, bringing harmful gases that much nearer the surface. Worse still, these ice deposits have been holding in check large areas of rock, including entire mountain ranges. When they break free of the ice, they create earthquakes and expose the superficial parts of the magma that explodes in volcanoes.
Next time you leave the lights burning too long or plan buying a large engine car, consider how the ground may be shifting under your feet.
*In our book, The Coffee Table Book of Doom, we erroneously referred to Bill McGuire as Ben. That must be because of the proximity of his name to Benfield. For that blunder, we most humbly apologise.
