Unit04_ Research for detailed setting

As the background of the story is the ice age on 21st century, I should research about what will happen to the Earth scientifically and humans' society during the ice age. And it gonna be good resource for designing the environment with more realistic details around the character and their lifestyle including clothes, and their room items.

What will happen to the Earth?

1. Temperature Drop and Glacier Expansion

   
   

   Global temperatures are dropping overall, especially in the Northern hemisphere and many areas become covered with permafrost or ice.  Then, countries like Northern Europe, Canada, and Russia will be buried under ice. Also, as continental ice sheets expand, sea levels will rise higher than they are today, causing most coastal cities to be eroded or disappear.

   ->> Sources :

   - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

   - NOAA Paleoclimatology Program

   
   

   

   
   

2. Ecosystem collapse or change

   Most species migrate south or become extinct. And, new ecosystem can form, but it will take thousands of years for them to adapt.

   ->> Sources :

   - Pleistocene epoch data

   - Articles from Science and Nature on past climate-driven extinctions

4. Change of ocean circulation and weather changes

   Climate patterns change as ocean currents changes because the currents in the North Atlantic have changed.

   ->> Sources :

   - Met Office UK climate simulations

   - Nature Climate Changes, PNAS research papers

What will happen to Humans?

1. The lack of food

   Productivity declines as agricultural areas shrink, and then, large- scale grain-centric agricultural systems will be declined due to expansion of glacial.

   ->> Sources :

   - FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN) reports on climate and food security

   - Nature and Science journals on climate-agriculture interaction

   - NASA GISS (Goddard Institute for Space Studies) food system vulnerability models

   
   

2. Migration and Conflict

   Massive population migration to the relatively warm Southern hemisphere. During this process, conflicts between natives and immigrants will arise.

   ->> Sources :

   - IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), Working Group II - "Human Security" chapter

   - UNHCR reports on Climate - Induced Displacement

   
   

3. Economic collapse and Technological decline

   As energy demands soar, our dependence on fossil fuels will be increased, which will exacerbate climate problems like carbon increase and ozone layer destruction. And, global supply chains and the infrastructure needed to sustain digital civilization will be able to be collapsed.

   ->> Sources :

   - U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Sector Vulnerabilities to Climate Change

   - IEEE publications on extreme cold effects on electronics and satellite systems

   - National Research Council (US) - Climate and Infrastructure Risk

   
   

4. Forming a new social structure for the overall

   It will shift to a self-sufficient society focused on survival. So, the culture will be reorganized around survival skills rather than technology dependence.

   
   

   To be specific, competition over shrinking habitable land and food resources could lead to conflict, authoritarianism, or state collapse.

   ->> Sources :

   - Jared Diamond - Collapse : How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed

   - IPCC AR6 : "Conflict and Climate Change"

   - Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP) and climate-conflict studies

   
   

   Therefore, as feelings of isolation and loneliness become more intense, survivors are likely to experience overall mental health problems.

   ->> Sources :

   - WHO reports on mental health in disasters

   - Psychological research on isolation and social resilience (Lancet Psychiatry)

   - Climate culture studies : Cultural Anthropology journal

By synthesizing these realistic possibilities, we will plan the lifestyles of the characters in the animation and the productions that follow.

How is the lifestyle of the people in this story?

• Glacier Expansion

  -> As the expansion of glacial, the almost of ocean would be frozen. Therefore, the oxygen released by ocean plankton will be decreased rapidly, which will lead to a decline in the number of plants on the continent, which will ultimately lead to a decrease in oxygen on Earth.

  ->> Oxygen masks will be required when engaging in outdoor activities.

• Temperature Drop

  -> The characters in the story will be wearing mainly thick winter clothes especially when they go outside.

  -> They would rely on heating system such as stove, fireplace, and radiator in indoor

• The Lack of Food

  -> There is a possibility of looting to secure food due to food shortages.

  -> Foods that do not spoil even if stored for a long time, such as canned food and instant cup noodle, will become the staple food.

  
  

• New Social Structure + Technological Decline

  -> Because the survived people should concentrate on their survival, they will have to go outside ultimately for getting their survival essentials like oxygen masks, and food at least once on a week.

  -> Due to the paralysis of communication, there will be a breakdown in communication with others, which occurs the mental health issues.