New research from the University of Reading contains a grim forecast: If global temperatures continue to rise and reach 4°C (7.2°F) above pre-industrial levels, more than one-third of the Antarctic’s ice shelf area could become at risk of collapsing into the sea. This could lead to an enormous amount of water flowing into the oceans. “Ice shelves are important buffers preventing glaciers on land from flowing freely into the ocean and contributing to sea level rise. When they collapse, it’s like a giant cork being removed from a bottle, allowing unimaginable amounts of water from glaciers to pour into the sea," said Dr Ella Gilbert, a research scientist in the University of Reading’s Department of Meteorology, in a statement.