The Antarctic ice sheet is melting. And this is bad news for humanity

Mar 3, 2023

A penguin stands on a block of melting ice in East Antarctica.

Antarctica holds 90% of the world's ice. Image: REUTERS/Pauline Askin

Marta Moreno Ibáñez

PhD candidate in Earth and atmospheric sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)

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Antarctic sea ice concentration reached a record low on 13 February, 2023. Image: The Conversation/ National Snow and Ice Data Center, University of Colorado, Boulder

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A seal is seen on ice that floats in Antarctica.

After decreasing the sea ice extent in the Arctic for decades, climate change is now visibly impacting the Antarctic sea ice too. Image: REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino

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A graphic showing the Marine Ice Sheet Instability process.

Schema showing the Marine Ice Sheet Instability (MSI) process. The blue arrows indicate the retreat of the grounding line, and the white arrows indicate the ice flux. Image: The Conversation.

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