What would happen to the planet if the ice caps melted?

Added: 2026-05-06

[00:00:00]What would happen to our planet if both polar ice caps melted? Now, this is one of those big scary questions that no doubt keeps many climate scientists awake at night. But first, let me explain how important ice is to regulating Earth's temperature.

[00:00:16]In fact, it acts a bit like this mineral sunscreen right here. Mineral sunscreen's main job is to shield our skin and its [music] delicate cells from the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation.

[00:00:29]It often appears white because its mineral particles sitting on the surface scatter light, actively creating a physical barrier that reflects UV rays.

[00:00:38]Now, the sun's energy is essential for life on Earth, but the planet's surface, a bit like our own skin, can overheat if it absorbs too much. How? Well, all the solid water on Earth, like sea ice, snow, and glaciers make up what's known as the cryosphere. And these bright, [music] icy surfaces act just like this mineral sunscreen here, but on a humongous >> [music] >> planetary scale. Known as the albedo effect, Earth's frozen water acts like a giant mirror reflecting large amounts of incoming sunlight back out into space and helping to keep us cool. [music] When it melts, darker surfaces, like land and deep oceans, become more exposed, and so the Earth heats up further, speeding up global [music] warming. A bit like wearing darker clothes in the sun, you end up feeling a bit hotter. And [music] so a planet without any sea ice and glaciers reflecting sunlight back out into space is a bit like you or me standing out in the hot midday sun without any shade or skin protection.

[00:01:35]Hello, heatstroke.