Scientists Float Hurricane Barriers Idea for New York City

Hurricane Katrina's vice wasn't in howling winds, but rather a surge of seawater that flooded low-laying New Orleans to become the costliest storm in history (more than $89 billion worth of today's cash, in fact).

As hurricane season unwinds this year, experts think such catastrophe could be thwarted for another vulnerable big city: none other than the Big Apple itself. How? By walling it in — quite literally.

According to the Associated Press, 100 scientists and engineers at a recent conference agreed that it's feasible to build a movable 5-mile barrier between New Jersey and Queens, or several smaller inland barriers. Such unprecedented systems could soften up to 25-foot-high storm surges that would otherwise inundate New York City with water, flooding subways and causing millions to evacuate.

Never mind the impact to ocean ecosystems, technological hurdles and — most importantly — who would shell out the estimated $5.9 billion to $9.1 billion to make it happen; scientists are convinced that the idea has legs... er, walls.