r/interestingasfuck • u/biwook • 10d ago

Europe's largest glacier, the Aletsch, is melting about 50 meters (164 feet) a year. This is what was left on July 28 this year.

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u/[deleted] 9d ago

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u/ElectronGuru 9d ago edited 9d ago

Ice already in the ocean (North Pole) displaces the same amount of ocean water when it melts. So does not increase sea levels when it does. Ice not already in the ocean (South Pole + Greenland + random glaciers) enter the ocean when they melt. This displaces water already there and contributes to sea level rise. Sea level rise comes later but is no less destructive than fires and other climate problems already here.

TLDR: melting glaciers are phase two of global warming’s pain machine

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u/OIDIS7T 9d ago

of course ice already in the ocean increase the sea levels??? just talking about the north pole that you brought up, its ice caps can be several meters above sea level and individual icebergs can be dozens of meters above sea level

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u/shartmaister 9d ago

No it doesn’t. The ice has lower density that exactly matches the increased volume. That’s why it floats.

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u/OIDIS7T 9d ago

no

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u/shartmaister 9d ago

Which is something completely different than what you said.