According to research published by Northwestern University Professor Alessandro Rotta Loria, heat trapped underground in manmade structures beneath cities may threaten the structural integrity of the buildings built aboveground.
Using sensors to track the heat levels, Rotta Loria determined that underground heat in these man-made structures can reach up to 77 degrees Fahrenheit higher than normal ground temperatures.
This phenomenon causes something known as “underground climate change” that could cause major cities around the world to sink over time.
This is “the direct consequence of human presence on Earth, and a direct consequence of building our structures,” said Rotta Loria.