9. Earth’s Axis Would Shift Dangerously

The earth’s axis doesn’t just rotate seamlessly. It also wobbles slightly due to the distribution of mass across the globe. Between 1899 and 2018, the Earth’s axis shifted by approximately 34 feet (10.4 meters) due to various environmental and man-made factors. But melting ice is already a significant part of that problem.

In fact, scientists estimate that more than half of this shift was caused by the melting of ice. In turn, gravity has been altered by the ice melt. Land masses have expanded and contracted. The sum of these changes has altered Earth’s rotation. This process is not fully understood yet. But it is clear the melting of ice has a significant effect on the Earth’s axis. Any changes would then be felt even more.

Earth’s axis and the melting of ice are two phenomena that have been studied for a long time. Unfortunately, the extent to which they are connected is not fully understood. While melting ice can contribute to the movement of Earth’s axis, there are other factors, such as the movement of Earth’s mantle, that also play a role. However, it is not necessary for all of Antarctica’s ice to melt in order for significant consequences to occur.

According to paleoclimatologists, the melting of ice can create a feedback loop of change. In it, the movement of the earth’s axis exposes the poles to shifting warm-water currents, which in turn can accelerate the melting of ice. Once ice melt begins, then, it becomes far more difficult to slow down or reverse. This process can have significant impacts on global climate and sea levels. The world is already seeing some of that, of course. But scientists are very worried it will only get worse as the melt rate gets faster.^[2]

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