ANTARCTIC GLACIER SHRANK 8 KILOMETERS IN JUST 2 MONTHS, STUDY FINDS

Sat 08 November 2025:

An Antarctic glacier lost nearly half its length in just two months — the fastest retreat ever recorded — according to a study published Monday in Nature Geoscience.

Researchers found that the Hektoria Glacier, located on the eastern Antarctic Peninsula, retreated about 8.2 kilometers (5 miles) between November and December 2022.

The glacier also lost nearly 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) in total between January 2022 and March 2023.

Scientists said the retreat was triggered not by ocean or atmospheric warming, as previously assumed, but by a rapid collapse caused by a process known as ice plain calving — when ice breaks away from a flat, weakly grounded section of glacier.

The findings suggest that glaciers resting on so-called ice plains may be far more unstable than previously understood.

Researchers warned that similar factors could make other Antarctic glaciers vulnerable to sudden collapse, with potentially major consequences for global sea levels.

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Antarctica holds 70% of Earth’s fresh water in massive ice sheets. Glaciers like Thwaites and Pine Island are rapidly melting due to warming oceans and air. Warm water slips under ice shelves, causing them to thin and collapse—speeding up glacier flow into the sea.

This adds to sea level rise: just Thwaites alone could raise oceans 2 feet if it fully collapses. Meltwater also disrupts ocean currents, affecting global weather.Human-driven CO₂ emissions are the main culprit—trapping heat and accelerating ice loss. Satellite data shows Antarctica lost 150 billion tons of ice yearly since 2002.

Faster melt = rising seas, coastal flooding, and climate chaos. Cutting emissions now is critical.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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