Singapore Underwater: Travel through time and experience rising sea levels with ST's virtual reality project

Travel through time and see for yourself with The Sunday Times' first virtual reality (VR) project, Singapore Underwater.

It is year 2500. The Merlion statue overlooking Marina Bay is half submerged. This is because sea levels could have risen by more than 6m, based on projections by scientists.

Hard to imagine what it might look like? Travel through time and see for yourself with The Sunday Times' first virtual reality (VR) project, Singapore Underwater.

You can experience it here: str.sg/SGunderwaterVR.

Remote video URL

The project looks at the possible long-term impact of climate change and rising sea levels on Singapore.

Through VR , readers can experience for themselves scenarios that might otherwise be too distant in the future to imagine.

Still think climate change affects only future generations?

The project and accompanying essays also look at the more immediate impact we are already experiencing, from dry spells to unpredictable rainfalls.

To give a more complete picture, the essays also highlight the measures that Singapore and other countries have put in place to mitigate the impact of rising sea levels.

The VR project, created by the ST Digital team, uses web VR technology. This means it can be viewed on desktops, smart phones and tablets - just like a regular webpage - without having to download an app to view it.

But for the full immersive experience, readers are encouraged to use a VR headset or viewer.

ST will be giving away 300 Google VR Cardboards to readers. Be among the first to register at str.sg/cardboards.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on May 28, 2017, with the headline Singapore Underwater: Travel through time and experience rising sea levels with ST's virtual reality project. Subscribe