A groundbreaking new tool is helping people in the United Kingdom better understand one of the most visible effects of our overheating planet, and what it reveals is both shocking and urgent.
What's happening?
Researchers at Ulster University in Northern Ireland have launched a publicly accessible tool that maps shoreline changes around the nation's coast, the BBC reported.
With 200 years of coastal data, the tool lets users zoom in on over 7,500 miles of coastline and view in plain language how far inland or seaward the coast has moved over time.
"We've seen massive changes that we didn't realise actually took place," professor Derek Jackson, a coastal geographer, said.
In some areas, the coast has grown outward. Other locations have experienced dramatic erosion.
Magilligan in County Londonderry, for example, has seen severe retreat, while parts of County Down have expanded.
Why is shoreline change concerning?
Coastlines are always changing, but the difference now is how quickly those changes are happening.
Human pollution from burning dirty energy such as coal and gas traps heat in the atmosphere, increasing global temperatures and causing sea levels to rise.
When water levels rise, erosion speeds up, putting homes, ecosystems, and infrastructure at risk.
In Northern Ireland, some coastal areas have been partially protected due to land rebounding from the last ice age, but experts say that advantage is quickly running out.
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No way 👎 "We probably should not be building on dynamic coasts because they're so mobile," Jackson added in the BBC interview.
Scientists agree that while extreme weather has always existed, human-induced overheating supercharges climate events, making them stronger and more frequent.
What's being done about shoreline change?
The new mapping tool not only helps residents see how their local coastline is changing but also provides vital context for policymakers and city planners.
That information can support better decisions around coastal development and infrastructure for the future.
In Turkey, plasma-powered tech is helping farmers fight drought by boosting crop growth and using water more efficiently.
Scientists are also leveraging artificial intelligence-powered tools such as BeeMachine to monitor bee populations in Kansas, enhancing ecosystem resilience.
For individuals, switching to clean energy is one of the most impactful steps to reduce heat-trapping pollution.
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