Europe's Sunken Civilisations at Risk from Accelerating Ocean Acidification

Recent research has cast a stark light on the vulnerability of Europe's submerged archaeological treasures, revealing how climate-driven ocean acidification (OA) is poised to inflict irreversible damage on these irreplaceable sites. A landmark study from the University of Padova warns that as seawater pH levels drop due to rising CO2 emissions, calcareous materials like marble and limestone—core components of ancient structures—face exponential deterioration rates. These findings, published in January 2026 in Communications Earth & Environment, underscore the urgent need for interdisciplinary action from marine archaeologists, geoscientists, and climate modelers across European universities. With Europe's coastal waters holding remnants of prehistoric landscapes and Roman opulence, the stakes could not be higher for preserving our shared history.

Ocean acidification occurs when excess atmospheric carbon dioxide dissolves into seawater, forming carbonic acid that lowers pH. Since the Industrial Revolution, global ocean pH has fallen by about 0.1 units—a 30% increase in acidity—with projections of up to threefold more by 2100 under high-emission scenarios. This process mirrors threats to coral reefs but now endangers human-made heritage, where even micrometer-scale erosion can erase inscriptions or sculptural details forever. For academics in fields like underwater archaeology and environmental science, this signals a call to innovate protective strategies.

Iconic Sunken Sites Across Europe's Seas

Europe's submerged heritage spans millennia, from Mesolithic hunter-gatherer settlements to imperial Roman resorts. These sites, often discovered by chance during modern seabed mapping, offer unparalleled insights into ancient life but now confront compounded climate stressors.

Doggerland: The Drowned Prehistoric Heartland

Beneath the North Sea lies Doggerland, a vast lowland connecting Britain to continental Europe until sea levels rose dramatically post-Ice Age around 8,000 years ago. This Mesolithic paradise featured rivers, forests, and human footprints preserved in sediment, mapped by teams from the University of Bradford and University of St Andrews. Recent acoustic surveys reveal a dynamic landscape teeming with aurochs and megafauna. While anoxic conditions have aided preservation, OA threatens any calcareous tools or structures, with North Sea pH already declining faster due to high CO2 uptake.

Baiae: Imperial Rome's Underwater Playground

Off Italy's Bay of Naples, Baiae—once a lavish resort for emperors like Nero—sank due to volcanic bradyseism between the 3rd and 15th centuries AD. Its mosaics, statues, and villas, now in the Baiae Underwater Archaeological Park, showcase exquisite marble works vulnerable to acidification. The Padova study directly tested similar Roman marbles here, finding porous varieties could erode at 30 micrometers per year under future pH levels.

Pavlopetri and Other Mediterranean Gems

In Greece's Laconia Gulf, Pavlopetri dates to 3000 BC, the oldest submerged town with streets and tombs intact. Nearby, Crete's Olous and Italy's Egnazia port face similar perils. These Bronze Age and classical sites, rich in limestone harbors, are hotspots for OA research by Hellenic universities and the Italian National Research Council.

Decoding the Padova Study's Revelations

Led by Luigi Germinario at the University of Padova's Department of Geosciences, with collaborators from the University of Alicante and Naples' Anton Dohrn Zoological Station, the study innovated by combining field experiments at Ischia's natural CO2 vents—mimicking pH 6.8 to 8.1—with lab simulations. Stone tiles (Carrara marble, Istria limestone, etc.) were submerged for up to a year, analyzed via 3D profilometry showing roughness increases up to 178 micrometers annually in extreme conditions.

Under SSP5-8.5 (high emissions), erosion could surge 4-6 times by 2100, with polar seas worst-hit. "Anthropogenic climate change and ocean acidification may have a dramatic impact on the survival of underwater cultural heritage," the authors conclude, urging in-situ protections.Read the full study Porous limestones suffer most, losing cm-scale depth over centuries—catastrophic for detailed artifacts.

Photo by Immo Wegmann on Unsplash

Materials Under Siege: From Marble to Shipwrecks

Calcareous stones dominate UCH: marble (calcite-based) dissolves readily below pH 7.5, while biofouling—once protective—may thin under OA, exposing surfaces. Metals like lead sheathing on galleys corrode faster in acidic waters, and wooden wrecks face shipworm invasions amplified by warming. The study quantifies: at pH 7.0, marble recedes 11 μm/year, porous stone 304 μm/year.

• Marble and Travertine: Roman sculptures, high risk due to fine polish.
• Limestone Variants: Harbors, walls; porosity dictates speed.
• Associated Finds: Shell tools, mosaics with calcareous binders.

Beyond Acidification: Multifaceted Climate Perils

OA synergizes with sea-level rise (projected 0.3-1m by 2100), storms eroding sites like Baiae, and warming spurring bioeroders. EU's THETIDA project, involving Athens' ICCS and Eindhoven University of Technology, pilots sensors at wrecks from Portugal to Svalbard. WATERISKULT (Padova-led) models stone decay holistically.WATERISKULT details

University-Led Innovations in Protection

European academia drives solutions: University of Gothenburg studies shipworm spread in Baltic UCH; Norwegian researchers monitor Svalbard sites. 3D mapping, AI predictive modeling, and crowdsourced apps from THETIDA empower preservation. For aspiring experts, programs in marine geoarchaeology at European universities blend oceanography and history—check research jobs in coastal heritage.

Photo by Antoine Schibler on Unsplash

Global Implications and Policy Imperatives

Europe's UCH, listed under UNESCO's 2001 Convention, demands integrated policies. The Padova team calls for risk frameworks incorporating OA projections. Losing these sites erases data on ancient climate adaptation—ironically relevant today. Stakeholders from EU Commission to local dives urge emission cuts and site-specific barriers.

Future Outlook: Racing Against Dissolution

Low-emission paths (SSP1-1.9) limit damage to current levels, buying time for tech like cathodic protection or synthetic covers. Universities must train specialists; explore higher ed careers in sustainable heritage. With proactive research, Europe's sunken past can endure.

In conclusion, this crisis mobilizes academia: from Padova's labs to North Sea surveys, solutions emerge. Aspiring professionals, dive into university jobs, rate my professor for mentors, or seek career advice in this vital field.