Produced by: Manoj Kumar
For years, Antarctica’s glaciers appeared stable, but new research reveals an unseen force beneath—warmer ocean water carving away the ice from below.
Beneath the ice shelves, saltier, warmer water infiltrates, eroding the ice from below. As the shelves thin, they lose their grip, allowing glaciers to rush into the sea.
A millimeter-thin layer where ice meets ocean dictates Antarctica’s fate. Currents, temperature, and salinity shape how rapidly ice disappears beneath the waves.
Sonar scans reveal bizarre formations under the ice—scallops, terraces, and hollowed-out basins—all shaped by melting patterns that accelerate further ice loss.
On the Dotson Ice Shelf, warm, calm waters create smooth terraces, while colder, faster currents form chaotic, scoop-like structures, proving ice melts differently in each region.
Antarctic ice loss could drive sea levels up by 44 cm—or unexpectedly drop by 22 cm—depending on how the melting dynamics unfold, making future predictions uncertain.
Melting ice isn’t just about rising seas. It’s slowing deep ocean currents, which regulate global temperatures, threatening unpredictable climate shifts worldwide.
Scientists are deploying AI-driven underwater robots to map hidden melt zones and refine climate models, racing to understand the true pace of ice loss.
Representative pic
Antarctica is melting—fast. The only unknown is how quickly the world will feel its impact, and whether coastal cities are truly prepared for what’s coming.