Wobbling moon could cause devastating floods: NASA

Jul 15 2021, 9:59 pm

As if Earth didn’t have enough to worry about, with climate change, heat waves, wildfires, and generally extreme weather plaguing many parts of the planet, now the moon has decided to remind everyone what it’s capable of.

The summer of 2021 has already been quite deadly in parts of the country, but a NASA-led study about the moon’s wobble suggests the worst may be yet to come.

NASA documents how American coastal cities will be impacted by flooding due to what they’re calling a “moon wobble” that would far surpass their current thresholds.

NASA

Sea level change/NASA

Led by members of NASA Sea Level Change Science Team from the University of Hawaii, the study suggests that more severe flooding will take place more often.

Climate change, once again, is a driving factor.

The study points out that the moon wobble is actually a common occurrence. But, it’s the combination of the wobble with other factors that is causing the concern.

“The combination of the Moon’s gravitational pull, rising sea levels, and climate change will continue to exacerbate coastal flooding on our coastlines and across the world. NASA’s Sea Level Change Team is providing crucial information so that we can plan, protect, and prevent damage to the environment and people’s livelihoods affected by flooding,” said NASA administrator Bill Nelson.

While the study looks specifically at American coastal cities, if the heat dome was any indication, Canada may experience something similar. The Canadian Space Agency tells Daily Hive that they’re consulting with government agencies on the topic.

The study will be an important resource for coastal city planners to mitigate the impacts on businesses and neighbourhoods.

Amir AliAmir Ali

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