New research in AGU Advances has found that a decades-old mathematical assumption in glacial flow models may be causing scientists to underestimate sea level rise by up to thirty-five percent. The study focused on Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica and compared models using two different stress exponent values. The findings suggest that current sea level projections used by policymakers and coastal planners around the world may be significantly too low, demanding urgent reassessment of climate adaptation strategies.