Friday off-topic. Tinker with sea levels, why don't we

[luzribeiro]

What the world would look like if the sea level dropped and rose by 1,000 meters...
Source.

Comments

[dancesofthelight]

One of the interesting and understated elements of history is that the sealine actually hasn't been constant in historical times any more than climate was. Parts of the world that are now arid bone-dry deserts were moister and greener in historical times, while the coastline moved in more in parts of the world and was likewise altered in historical times. The Dutch, in particular, drained the ocean to expand their land area and did a rather good job of it.

It's an understated element for a lot of reasons, but it is one of those factors in appraising the past that is actually both cool and a bit disturbing (as is Genghis Khan and sons killing enough people to produce a geologic cool snap).

[asthfghl]

Yes, for example the oldest civilization on the Balkan shores has been found near Varna, and it's now at the bottom of the Black Sea because of rising sea levels over the ages. Same reason for the legend of Noah's Arc and all similar myths from the region.

[dancesofthelight]

Yes, and I suspect this underlies the myth of stories like Atlantis and the Noachian Deluge, for that matter, as well.

At least a part of the oddities of the prehistoric record is no doubt that areas that might contain valuable information and 'missing links' at a few different levels are underwater now where they were not at the time.

[asthfghl]

Atlantis was probably inspired by the Thera/Santorini eruption, which largely contributed to the collapse of the Minoan civilization.