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New York City may be sinking under its own weight because the buildings are too heavy, scientists warn

By Ryan Wu
Published in Climate Change
May 23, 2023
1 min read
New York City may be sinking under its own weight because the buildings are too heavy, scientists warn

I just read an article that says New York City might be sinking because the buildings are too darn heavy! Imagine that! Apparently, the weight of all those skyscrapers is causing the ground beneath them to slowly sink, putting the whole city at risk.

According to the scientists who conducted the study, the problem is a result of the city’s geology. New York City rests on a bed of soft, compressed sediment, which means that anything built on top of it will slowly sink over time. And since the city is constantly adding new buildings, the weight keeps piling up.

But the sinking isn’t happening evenly across the city. Some areas are more at risk than others, including parts of lower Manhattan and neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens. And if the problem isn’t addressed, it could lead to serious consequences like flooding, infrastructure damage, and even higher risks during natural disasters like hurricanes.

As someone who has spent some time in New York City, this definitely caught my attention. It’s kind of mind-boggling to think that all those towering skyscrapers could be slowly sinking into the earth beneath our feet. But beyond the novelty factor, it’s also important to think about the implications of this. If the city is at risk, what can be done to address it? And how can we ensure that cities around the world are built in ways that don’t put people’s lives in danger?

All in all, the article is a thought-provoking read that raises some important questions about the future of our cities. And if you’re anything like me, it might just make you appreciate solid ground a little bit more!


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Ryan Wu

Ryan Wu

Freelance Journalist

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