Geologists Drill into Antarctica and Find Troubling Signs for Ice Sheets' Future
Monday, April 19, 2010 - 12:42
in Earth & Climate
ERICE, Italy--If you think of Earth's poles as fraternal twins, the Arctic has been the wild one in recent years, while the Antarctic has been a steady plodder. Withered by summer heat, Arctic sea ice has shrunk to record low coverage several times since 2005, only to rebound to within 95 percent of its long-term average extent this winter. By comparison, Antarctica, with some 90 percent of the world's glacial reserves, has generally shed ice in more stately fashion. [More]