As polar ice caps continue to melt due to climate changes, days on earth could surpass 24 hours, says Earth science expert Mathieu Morlighem. This phenomenon may happen as the earth will start spinning slowly due to the increased sea level in its axis.
Impacts of sea-level rise on earth
"One interesting effect is if you melt the ice, that will affect the Earth's rotation. It may actually change how long a day is. The ice sheets are close to the axis of rotation of the Earth — they are around the poles. You melt this ice, and where this water will go is around the Earth, so further away from the axis of rotation. So the Earth is going to spin at a slower rate. It's hard to quantify, but probably 10, 20 seconds longer for a day," said Morlighem.
In an interview given to Inverse, Morlighem also talked about the impacts of sea-level rise due to ice cap melting. During the talk, Morlighem suggested that 40 percent of the world population will be directly affected by the rising sea level, as they are living in coastal areas.
"Entire nations are going to disappear. Pacific islands, they're gone. Who is going to take care of these people? They need to have a place to live, and they have a culture," said Morlighem.
According to Morlighem, the invasion of oceans to the land will contaminate freshwater and could cause further problems to humanity.
Bad news for Europe
If too much freshwater comes to the Arctic, it should result in the shutdown of the Gulf Stream, and it could create troubles for Europeans, by triggering a mini ice age.
"Europe will be as cold as Montreal. Temperatures in Europe would plummet and there would be a sort of mini Ice Age," added Morlighem.
However, doomsday mongers have nothing to thrill as Morlighem assured that the world is not going to end in 2021.
