The “Doomsday Glacier” Is Showing Alarming Signs of Collapse - Who Is Most at Risk?

The name sounds like science fiction, but the danger is very real. Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica has earned the nickname “Doomsday Glacier” because its retreat could raise sea levels and expose millions of people in coastal regions to more frequent flooding.

The latest warning is not that every city will suddenly vanish overnight. The risk is slower, wider, and harder to reverse: higher seas, stronger storm surges, saltwater damage, and pressure on communities already living close to the water. Thwaites currently contributes about 4% of global sea-level rise and holds enough ice to raise seas by more than two feet, or about 0.65 meters, if fully lost.