Rising sea levels could leave internet cables underwater within 15 years, study says

AccuWeather.com ^ | August 9, 2018 | Adrianna Novarro

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I'll just leave this here...

[CIB-173RDABN]

If it happens - move the cable. Problem solved.

[jdsteel]

I’m gonna build my house on the shore and then blame global warming when my basement gets wet.

[CrouchingTiger620]

In I high school in 1974 a visiting college professor told us Richmond VA would be water front by year 2000 due to rising water.....i think its gone up a foot or so since then

[airborne]

Well if it’s too late to stop it . . . .

[newfreep]

I’m in Ohio and can’t wait for my beach front home.

Thanks, Globull Warming!

[FrankR]

[C210N]

[Sacajaweau]

when it happens.....then it's a problem.....

Until then....get a job where you're not living off of grant money.

[Tenacious 1]

I can’t get past the headline and refuse to finish this article.

[Dixie Yooper]

I guess that by now, a few of us have realized for the first time that federal grant money was given to both UO & UW to study together on something to please the Obama’s and Clinton’s. I can only hope the political hack that provided the funding for this, has quit or been fired by now.

[unread]

"and it's too late to stop it."

OH MY GOD..!! WE'RE GOING TO DIE, WE'REGOING TO DIE..!!!

[MRadtke]

A lot of cables are underwater already. The wiser path here is, of course, to replace the threatened cables with those designed for underwater use. Easier to do that than try to change the planetary climate, one that naturally has sea level changes of hundreds of feet.

[CodeToad]

“In I high school in 1974 a visiting college professor told us Richmond VA would be water front by year 2000 due to rising water.....i think its gone up a foot or so since then”

No, it hasn’t. There has been ZERO sea level rise, and there has been ZERO temp rise. The temp has actually gone DOWN since 1974.

[cgbg]

In other news, coastline property has declined in value by 50% in the past year...or not...

The market is speaking—nobody with an IQ above room temperature believes this naked propaganda.

[TnTnTn]

BS......adapt to changes or die.....plants and animals have been doing it for 3-4 billion years on earth...

[Robert A Cook PE]

2.1 to 2.5 mm/year, and that rate has been STEADY since the early 1910’s.

So, the “internet” fiberoptic cables are relatively new technology , and haven’t been underground long. In TEN years, they’ll be only 2 inches closer to waterlevel. This reporter-propagandist is nuts.

[Robert A Cook PE]

No, not actually true. Judy’s global average temperature was up 0.32 degrees from the mid 70s. But you’re right, 0.32 degrees is not very much.

[Lockbox]

If this was true, how much exposure would companies such as mortgage and insurance companies face? Not only from potential loses from submersed properties but also from share holders for not taking actions to protect the company's positions.

So what actions have these companies taken recently to cover themselves? Are these risks noted in their public filings?

[Pollster1]

The wiser path here is, of course, to replace the threatened cables with those designed for underwater use.

Even that is not necessary. How many Internet cables from 15 years ago are still in use today? First, I don't believe cables that are not safe for underwater use were placed so low that a few inches of hypothetical change in sea level will flood them. Second, if this were real, we could just place new cables in a higher location as capacity is added. All existing cables will be obsolete in 15 years (assuming we are even using cables then).