Previous estimates that the Antarctic's tallest ice cliffs will collapse under their own weight and cause sea levels to rise hundreds of miles by 2100 may be inaccurate. Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers found that in order for such cliffs – which stand taller than 90 metres – to entirely collapse, the ice shelves supporting them would need to break apart within hours; a phenomenon unobserved in modern records. If the shelves were to give way over a longer period, the remaining cliffs would not collapse but would slowly flow away, reducing the impact on sea-levels.
Previous estimates that the Antarctic's tallest ice cliffs will collapse under their own weight and cause sea levels to rise six feet by 2100 may be inaccurate. Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers found that in order for such cliffs – which stand taller than 90 metres – to entirely collapse, the ice shelves supporting them would need to break apart within hours; a phenomenon unobserved in modern records. If the shelves were to give way over a longer period, the remaining cliffs would not collapse but would slowly flow away, reducing the impact on sea-levels.