tech
February 1, 2026
The ‘Doomsday Glacier’ Could Flood the Earth. Can a 50-Mile Wall Stop It?
Scientists have long opposed polar geoengineering. Some now believe it will be necessary.
TL;DR
- Scientists are deploying sensors on and around Thwaites Glacier, a critically unstable Antarctic glacier, to study its potential collapse.
- A proposed geoengineering solution involves constructing a massive "sea curtain" atop a moraine to block warm ocean currents from reaching the glacier's base.
- The project aims to gather data on current speeds and water temperatures to model the effectiveness and feasibility of the sea curtain.
- Geoengineering interventions like the sea curtain are gaining traction as decarbonization efforts lag, despite significant scientific debate and ethical concerns.
- Opponents argue that geoengineering is a costly distraction from reducing fossil fuel use and may pose risks to ecosystems and international treaties.
- Alternative geoengineering ideas include refreezing glaciers and thickening Arctic sea ice, with some initiatives securing private and philanthropic funding.
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