A groundbreaking study published in Nature has revealed a significant underestimation of global sea levels, primarily due to the limitations of current modelling techniques. The research indicates that ocean levels are, on average, 30cm higher than previously believed, with even greater discrepancies observed in regions like south-east Asia and the Indo-Pacific, where sea levels may be 100-150cm higher. This underestimation is attributed to the reliance on geoid models, which estimate sea levels based on Earth's gravity and rotation but fail to capture local variations. The study underscores the urgent need for more localized data to refine our understanding of sea-level dynamics.