Most everyone has seen - or at least heard of - the movie, The Day After Tomorrow. This apocalyptic disaster-type movie detailed how the world would end, should global warming get its way, but with some major Hollywood twists. While an apocalyptic ice storm and hundreds of tornados descending on earth probably aren't how climate change would ultimately manifest, that doesn't mean we're not already witnessing the changes spawned from it. While the world sleeps, the earth around us is changing, shifting, and melting, quite literally, due to the global rise of temperatures and entrapment of greenhouse emissions within our atmosphere. And now, scientists are getting the evidence they need to back up claims they've been warning the world about for decades.The Milne Ice Shelf, which was once located on Ellesmere Island in Nunavut, Canada, now sits, floating, off the shore nearby where it was once attached. Satellites were able to capture the ice shelf breaking apart and to say it's a scary sign of what's to come would be entirely accurate. The ice shelf, which was roughly the size of Manhattan, split apart within a matter of six days, and experts say, without a doubt in their minds, that this is a direct effect of climate change.

What Does The Loss Of The Milne Ice Shelf Mean?

The Milne Ice Shelf was 4,000 years old before it broke into several pieces and collapsed into the sea. With this collapse, the ice shelf took with it about 40% of Canada's total ice shelf, meaning the area itself is nearly half the size it once was. The danger that follows the collapse of this ice shelf comes in two forms: The first and most obvious is the sheer size of the ice shelf, which is now floating at sea. If something should come into its path, such as an oil rig, as stated by Adrienne White of the Canadian Ice Service, it could be catastrophic, should the oil rig not be moved.

Secondly, the culprit for the collapse of the ice shelve was easily determined as polar amplification. During this process, the Arctic warms up at a more rapid rate than the rest of the world, resulting in the melting and breaking down of ice, as seen with the Milne Ice Shelf. Unfortunately, a loss of this magnitude has consequences. The ice caps in the Arctic are reportedly warming at a rate that's nearly six times what the average was two decades ago, meaning climate change has undoubtedly had an impact on the world as we know it, and will continue to do so.

the milne ice shelf breaking apart in canada
via News | The CEO Magazine

Geologist at the University of Ottawa, Luke Copeland, is part of the research time that was studying the Milne Ice Shelf. He has said, "Without a doubt, it's climate change," in an interview with the AP. Business Insider also reported that a research camp was lost in the process, one at which a team was supposed to be conducting studies at this summer, however, the trip was canceled due to the pandemic.

an ice shelf floating at sea
via Travel + Leisure India

Now, the remaining part of the ice shelf is at risk, and more potential for cracking and loss of ice is possible over the next few weeks. The instability of the shelf now reflects the effect that climate change has on the Arctic, which is home to the ice shelves that act in a similar way to a dam when it comes to maintaining ocean levels, as well as keeping them from rising.

What Else Is Happening?

Simultaneously, climate change is affecting locations such as Alberta, Canada, as well. As reported by a study at the University of British Columbia, a water shortage could affect one in four residents who live in Alberta. In this region of Canada, many people rely on water runoff to supply their households, and with the disappearance of glaciers as they melt due to rising temperatures, that runoff could eventually disappear as well.

the rocky mountains losing glaciers
via University of Alberta

Photos show the devastating effects of warming temperatures on Canada's Rocky Mountain glaciers, as they slowly been diminishing in size. It's predicted that every summer, the water resource for these communities will get smaller and smaller each year, as mountain runoff feeds directly into nearby rivers where residents get their tap water. According to expert models, it's expected that the Rocky Mountains alone will lose up to 90% of their glaciers by the year 2100. In addition to a steady water supply, these glaciers support a wide array of areas in Canada - including agriculture and tourism. It's also expected that global weather patterns will begin to change over the next few decades and, according to some, it already has.

Related: The Chadar Trek Is One Of The Most Dangerous In India, And Now It's Facing Its Biggest Threat

Changing Patterns In The UK

The UK is also seeing the immediate effects of climate change but in its fishing industry. Cod is a big part of life in the UK and is served on nearly every restaurant menu, but that could all change with rising seawater temperatures. Whereas cod was once abundant in these European waters, those same areas are now being overrun with fish who have adapted to warmer water temperatures.

cod fishermen in the UK
via Reuters UK

Related: The Mayor Of Paris Is Making The City Greener To Battle Climate Change

Up to four different, and new, types of fish have already begun appearing in fishermen's nets, proving the diminishing source of cod. As temperatures continue to rise, it's expected that the fishing industry will need to adapt and change according to what Mother Nature brings forth - showing one more way that climate change doesn't just affect the environment, but is having a steady effect on wildlife and marine life, as well.

Next: Unrelenting Water Spouts And New Coral Sprouts: Coincident Or Climate Change?