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Global Warming 5 Million Years Ago In Antarctic Drastically Raised Sea Levels

Posted by samzenpus on from the how-deeps-the-water-momma? dept.

An anonymous reader writes "As temperatures rise, scientists continue to worry about the effects of melting Antarctic ice, which threatens to raise sea levels and swamp coastal communities. This event, though, isn't unprecedented. Researchers have uncovered evidence that reveals global warming five million years ago may have caused parts of Antarctica's ice sheets to melt, causing sea levels to rise by about 20 meters."

4 of 437 comments (clear)

  1. More to the point... by Extremus · · Score: 4, Informative

    It is well known that sea levels have been going up and down throughout the ages. The question now is whether or not we are acelerating these variations and whether life can adapt to them fast enough.

    1. Re:More to the point... by UnknowingFool · · Score: 4, Informative

      I call them deniers because despite the overwhelming scientific evidence, they still hold onto ideas based not on science. Same thing with the anti-evolutionists, birthers, and truthers. At some point you have to realize it doesn't matter what proof, what reasoned arguments you have, some people will believe what they want to believe.

      --
      Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
  2. FUD title by argStyopa · · Score: 4, Informative

    Or, we COULD say "Middle Miocene ice age 15 million years ago drastically lowered temperatures, lowered sea level 20m" as well, couldn't we?

    Then it warmed, and melted, and sea levels rose. (The subject of the OP.)

    Then it froze again, and sea levels dropped, since the last ice age ended only about 11,000 yrs ago.

    It's almost like this shit is cyclic.

    --
    -Styopa
  3. Jesus. Get a grip. by Jane+Q.+Public · · Score: 5, Informative

    According to IPCC's WORST-CASE estimates (from which they have recently backed off), sea levels were not projected to rise by more than about a meter over the next 100 years.

    I daresay we can adapt fast enough to that.