It's no secret that climate change is seriously impacting billions of lives. Excessive carbon dioxide pollution has caused a greenhouse effect, trapping heat from the sun within our atmosphere. Temperatures are pushing the human body to breaking point in some regions,
However, scientists at NASA are now predicting that a 'moon wobble' will make the problem even worse.
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Rising global temperatures have caused polar ice sheets to melt at an alarming rate, with over 1.2 trillion tons of ice being lost each year.
The melting ice has lead to costal regions being put at high risk of flooding due to increasing sea levels. Many islands in the Bahamas are expected to be completely submerged by 2050.
London is also expected to face severe consequences, as can be seen from the floods this week. The capital is the most at risk urban area in Britain due to a large portion of the city lying within the Thames floodplain.
Although current defences are in place, it's expected that rising tides and unpredictable weather patterns will put systems under strain. The Thames Barrier prevents most of London from flooding, however it was only built to last until the year 2030, although it's expected to function for longer.
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Increased flooding would see damage to buildings and transport networks, along with delaying new developments. The economy could be hit hard as a result.
Now, the rising sea levels are just part of the problem, as NASA predicts that changes in the lunar cycle will impact tides.
The moon controls Earth's tides through the gravitational pull it generates, meaning a shift in it's natural cycle could lead to stronger tidal surges.
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NASA's Sea Level Change Science Team say that these changes will have an impact by the mid-2030s.
"Global sea level rise will have been at work for another decade. The higher seas, amplified by the lunar cycle, will cause a leap in flood numbers on almost all U.S. mainland coastlines, Hawaii, and Guam".
Scientists analysed all potential causes for flooding, coming to the conclusion that a combination of factors will greatly increase the risk of floods.
In 2019, the US' National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recorded over 600 high-tide floods. This figure is expected to increase dramatically in the years before and after the shift in lunar movement.
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The team went on to add: "If it floods 10 or 15 times a month, a business can't keep operating with its parking lot under water. People lose their jobs because they can't get to work. Seeping cesspools become a public health issue".
This further demonstrates the environmental and economical impacts these floods will cause.
If we're going to help sea levels rising further, and other disasters caused by climate change, we need to take action right now. Here are some ways you can help.
