GOING UNDER

New York City Is Sinking Under Its Own Weight: Study

The weight of New York City's colossal buildings and infrastructure is pushing the land beneath down by 1-2 millimeters per year.

Are the oceans rising, or are we sinking? It’s both, apparently—at least in New York City. A new study has found that the immense weight of the Big Apple’s skyscrapers and infrastructure is squeezing down the land beneath it, pushing the city closer to sea level, The Guardian reported. But don’t worry: Manhattan isn’t about to become Atlantis overnight. The city is sinking by just 1-2 millimeters per year, the study found. “It wasn’t a mistake to build such large buildings in New York but we’ve just got to keep in mind every time you build something there you push down the ground a little bit more,” a scientist who led the study said.