In a stunning twist of fate, as many as 1,000 low-lying tropical islands in Maldives, which were once considered doomed to disappear, are now growing in size. Experts predicted that as the planet grows warmer, the ice cap will melt, and oceans rise, fearing these islands, many barely peeking above the waves, would be the first to disappear beneath the tides.
Yet, the reality seems to be different. If reports are to go by, when researchers analysed decades of aerial photos and satellite imagery, they came across an intriguing trend: Most islands have remained stable or even increased in area. With regard to this, Paul Kench, who co-led the ground-breaking study, said, “I am not sure we really knew what we would find,” and acknowledged that the results astonished the scientific community.
