In Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything," the significant impact of ice sheet melting on global sea levels is depicted. If all ice sheets were to melt, it would lead to a drastic rise in sea levels by about 60 meters. This is equivalent to the height of a twenty-storey building, emphasizing the magnitude of the potential environmental change.

The catastrophic consequences of such a rise would mean that every coastal city around the world would be submerged. This stark warning highlights the urgent need to address climate change and its effects, as the future of coastal communities hangs in the balance.