Venice, Italy? More like Atlantis two-point-oh!
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.
As sea levels rise, Venice sinks. Its rich culture and history could be completely submerged within two-hundred years!
But not with Piero Lionello and team from the University of Salento on the scene.
They simulated the city’s progressive submersion and analyzed countermeasures for saving it.
Their proposal? Start building barriers to protect the city center now, buying more time. Then, plan to either close off the Venice lagoon OR relocate the city entirely! Easy. Nope!
So there may not be a perfect solution. But this forward thinking will allow us surface dwellers to enjoy Venice too! No diving required.
Reference: Lionello, P., Di Fant, V., Pasquier, U., Tosi, L., Cozannet, G. L., Nicholls, R. J., Cramer, W., Cremades, R., Giupponi, C., Hinkel, J., Sfriso, A., Teatini, P., Vafeidis, A. T., Umgiesser, G., & Haasnoot, M. (2026). Long-term adaptation pathways for Venice and its lagoon under sea-level rise. Scientific Reports, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-39108-z