Could icebergs be towed to solve water shortages?
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Melting mountains of ice is trickier than you might think, even in the desert.
Asked by: R Stather, Bromsgrove
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First mooted almost 60 years ago, this ‘crazy’ idea may finally be tried in 2020. A company in Abu Dhabi has unveiled plans to tow two icebergs from Antarctica to the Emirates. Ironically, the biggest challenge lies in the reluctance of ice to melt. Turning a big berg into fresh water at a reasonable rate requires the power output of a large power station.
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Authors
Robert MatthewsPhysicist
Robert is a science writer and visiting professor of science at Aston University.
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