• Viral badge
  • OMG badge

This Is What Earth Will Look Like If All The Ice Melts

National Geographic shows how most coastal cities will be decimated and the population exodus will put a strain on midland resources. On the upside, Antarctica will make an great seaside resort.

Donna Dickens
by Donna Dickens

BuzzFeed Staff

Even Mother Nature knows what's up with Florida*.

CREDIT: JASON TREAT, MATTHEW TWOMBLY, WEB BARR, MAGGIE SMITH, NGM STAFF. ART: KEES VEENENBOS

*Sorry Floridians.

Everyone laughed when the Incans built in the mountains. Who's laughing now?

CREDIT: JASON TREAT, MATTHEW TWOMBLY, WEB BARR, MAGGIE SMITH, NGM STAFF. ART: KEES VEENENBOS

Humanity's need to build on coastlines is our downfall. Damn you life-giving water.

CREDIT: JASON TREAT, MATTHEW TWOMBLY, WEB BARR, MAGGIE SMITH, NGM STAFF. ART: KEES VEENENBOS

How long would it take that inland sea to turn desert into sustainable* farmland?

CREDIT: JASON TREAT, MATTHEW TWOMBLY, WEB BARR, MAGGIE SMITH, NGM STAFF. ART: KEES VEENENBOS

*Spoiler: Too long, Australia is doomed.

Read all about how National Geographic used data to determine these graphics as well as see how Africa, Asia, and Antarctica would fare.

ngm.nationalgeographic.com

SOURCES: PHILIPPE HUYBRECHTS, VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL; RICHARD S. WILLIAMS, JR., WOODS HOLE RESEARCH CENTER; JAMES C. ZACHOS, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CRUZ; USGS; NOAA, ETOPO1 BEDROCK, 1 ARC-MINUTE GLOBAL RELIEF MODEL COPYRIGHT © SEPTEMBER 2013 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY