Are Glaciers Disappearing?
Ice caps and glaciers are melting at an alarming rate due to global warming. Many civilizations in the world rely on the seasonal melting of glaciers for their drinking water sources. As temperatures rise, these glaciers are getting smaller and thinner. Eventually, they will be completely gone, leaving millions of people without fresh water. Melting glaciers flow through streams and rivers, and eventually reach the ocean. As the ice melts, the sea level increases. The oceans have risen 5 cm (2 inches) in just the last 20 years, and are expected to rise another 30-120 cm (1-4 feet) by 2100. Coastal cities are already seeing threats from rising sea levels. If all of the ice sheets on Earth melted, they...