What if the Earth runs out of water?

Water is an essential element for the development of all life on earth, from ants to humans, trees and other plants in nature. According to data collected by scientists, Approximately 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered with water; However, it is important to clarify that this number does not represent the total proportion of water on the planet.This actually relates to the size of the Earth’s water-covered surface.

It is common for people to mistakenly think that the Earth is a cosmic object composed mostly of water, but science itself explains that we are on a rocky planet. After all, if it didn’t exist, our home would be known as ‘planet water’. So most of the Earth’s soil consists of rocks, as do the innermost layers; in reality, water is only a small fraction of what covers the earth’s surface.

In 2008, planetary scientist James O’Donoghue, in partnership with the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), created a video animation showing what it would be like if there were not a single drop of water on Earth. Inside that, It is possible to observe that the world consists mostly of rocks and there are many mountains hidden under the water.

“I slowed down [do vídeo] At first, surprisingly, there are a lot of underwater views that instantly appear in the first few tens of meters. When the last ice age occurred, most of the ocean water at the planet’s poles was frozen. That’s why there were ‘land bridges’. In a message to the website, O’Donoghue explains: I like how this animation reveals that the ocean floor is as diverse and interesting in its geology as the continents. Business Content.

soil and water

With climate change and high consumption, water may become a big problem for people in the future. Population growth, pollution and climate change will likely be the main causes of water depletion in various parts of the world. But one thing is certain: In the future, the world’s water will not be completely depleted, at least for now.

Although the absence of primitive liquid will not be a major problem for humanity in the future, the absence of drinking water will certainly be an obstacle for everyone living at that time. after allOnly 3% of all water on the planet is drinkable and unfortunately the largest amount of this water is ‘trapped’ in glaciers, polar ice caps and ice fields.

This animation is to remind you how much water there is on Earth in proportion to its mass, and that it is very little. Ah, but is 70% of the Earth water? No, 70% of the Earth’s surface, which is our planet’s crust, is covered with water, the rest is not, which is why Earth is a rocky planet, not a rocky one… pic.twitter.com/EBwc0IQzRE

— Sacani (Space Today) – AKA Gordão Foguetes (@SpaceToday1) December 10, 2023

“The world is a place full of water. So exactly how much water is in, on, and above our planet? Approximately 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, and oceans hold approximately 96.5% of all water on Earth. Water is also present in the air as water vapor, in rivers and lakes, in glaciers and glaciers, as soil moisture in the ground and groundwater, and even inside you and your dog. Water never stands still. “Thanks to the water cycle, our planet’s water resources are constantly shifting from one place to another and from one form to another,” explains a publication by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The illustration above shows two blue spheres representing the amount of water on Earth compared to the total size of the planet. The larger sphere represents all water on the surface, while the smaller sphere represents fresh water found in underground areas, swamps, rivers and lakes. If it had come together in a perfect ball as in the image, all of the drinking water in question would be approximately 272.8 kilometers in diameter.

What if we run out of water?

According to scientists and experts, Because salt water must continue to feed the planet’s oceans, it’s unlikely Earth will ever reach the point of running out of even a single drop of water. However, it is certain that humanity will experience major water problems in the future, especially regarding drinking water.

In 2018, Cape Town, South Africa faced a serious problem and was unable to provide water to almost all residents. Residents were warned that water supplies could run out within a few months. However, the city managed to avoid water shortages after instructing residents to use smaller amounts of water in their activities.

If Earth runs out of water, humanity will likely suffer the following consequences:

• Effect on the economy;
• Even worse is climate change;
• Collapse of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems;
• The emergence of more deserts;
• The extinction of life.

Lack of water will have unimaginable effects on the Earth and all living things on it, but it is possible that it will not happen exactly that way. The likely and catastrophic scenario would be a gradual decrease in the availability of drinking water in the world.. This could trigger scenarios such as mass migrations, economic impacts, health crises, among other problems.

Did you like the content? Stay up to date with more topics like this on TecMundo. If you want, take the opportunity to understand how close planet Earth is to a new mass extinction.