A groundbreaking study published in *Nature* has brought to light a critical discrepancy in the way global sea levels are estimated, revealing that they are, in fact, higher than previously believed. This revelation carries significant implications for coastal communities worldwide, as it suggests that millions more people are at risk of inundation than current models predict. The research, conducted by Katharina Seeger and Philip Minderhoud from Wageningen University in the Netherlands, involved a comprehensive analysis of 385 peer-reviewed studies focusing on coastal flooding and sea-level rise.