MattRoberts

Ok, that would explain it.... I guess I better switch to energy saving lightbulbs after all. Or just buy a boat. Thanks for the prompt reply, Matt

Hi People, Apologies if this has been covered before, or is so stupid noone else would have bothered but I've had this thought for ages, accept that I must be wrong somehow, but can't figure out why..... Everyone seems to say, "when the ice caps melt, the water levels will rise, flooding us all." However my theory is that the water level if anything should FALL, or at least stay the same... Based on the following. 1) Ice is less dense than water 2) To float a body has to displace it's weight in water. Therefore for a ton of ice to float, it needs to displace a ton of water.... Ice takes up more space than water (so the tip of the iceberg with be out of the water) but when the ice melts it's still only a ton of water, which was displaced by 90% of the iceberg when it was a solid in the first place.... So depending on the difference in densities between the two, the water level will fall, IF, enough of the ice is below the water... and will stay the same if "too much" is above water. However I can't see how the water levels would rise, and certainly not by the levels needed to flood my stupid self. The only things I can see ruining my theory is a) The ice caps/sheets aren't actually floating (perhaps self suspending or something) b) The fact it's salt water, which has some effect on my premises. Anyway, hope i've explained myself well enough and will be interested to see what you think. Kind regards, Matt Roberts