All videos

This Robot Is Studying Antarctica’s Doomsday Glacier From Below

The Thwaites Glacier is in western Antarctica and roughly the same size as Florida. It’s known as the Doomsday Glacier because if it melts, sea levels will rise by more than 45cm. Scientists have deployed a robot called Icefin to learn about Thwaites. Icefin was developed at Cornell University. They used hot water to melt a 600-metre borehole through the ice and then lowered Icefin into the sea below. Icefin used cameras and sensors to study the underside of the Doomsday Glacier. Scientists had assumed that Thwaites’ underside was uniformly flat, but Icefin has revealed that they were wrong. Watch the video to learn more about how the Icefin is studying the Doomsday Glacier.

Topics:
Climate Action and Waste Reduction
Share:
World Economic Forum logo

Forum Stories newsletter

Bringing you weekly curated insights and analysis on the global issues that matter.

Subscribe today

More on Climate Action and Waste Reduction
See all

How partnerships can help decarbonize food value chains

Mónica Andrés and Jim Andrew

January 9, 2026

How Morocco is powering food security through clean energy and innovation

About us

Engage with us

Quick links

Language editions

Privacy Policy & Terms of Service

Sitemap

© 2026 World Economic Forum