Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

London-sized iceberg breaks off Antarctica but scientists aren’t worried

London-sized iceberg breaks off Antarctica but scientists aren’t worried

A vast iceberg equivalent to the size of Greater London has broken off the Antarctic ice shelf.
The huge iceberg, which measures more than 1,550 square kilometers, broke away from the 150-meter-thick Brunt Ice Shelf on Sunday.

The good news is that the split is a natural process known as ‘calving,’ and is not linked to climate change, the British Antarctic Survey say.

The new berg is the second iceberg to break off in two years, as a massive crack called ‘Chasm-1’ extends through the Brunt ice shelf.

The icy mass is likely to drift into the Weddell Sea. It will be named later by the US National Ice Center.

Why has this massive iceberg broken off Antarctica?

The Chasm-1 crack has been forming for a few years - as evidenced by striking footage from 2019.

Such cracks are common around the edges of Antarctica, explains Professor Dominic Hodgson, a glaciologist for the British Antarctic Survey.

“The ice shelves around Antarctica are extensions, floating extensions, of the Antarctic ice sheet. So they do periodically extend out to sea and then break off.

“This one has been doing that for a number of years now.”

Perhaps surprisingly, the event is not linked to climate change, Hogson says.

"Some of the ice shelves that are broken up in more northerly locations are the result of climate change. But this one is further south. And it's worse. It's well below freezing there,” he explains.

"So it's not linked to any changes in atmospheric or ocean temperatures. The reason it's important, it's a very large calving event for Antarctica.”

The British Antarctic Survey recently moved their station inland. If they hadn’t done so, it would currently be floating out to sea on the new iceberg.

This breakage isn’t linked to climate change - but it’s the exception, not the rule.

As temperatures increase, Antarctica is losing ice mass at an average rate of about 150 billion tons per year. Greenland is melting at around 280 billion tons per year.

Meltwater from these sheets is responsible for about one-third of the global average rise in sea level since 1993.

The melt problem is evident all over the world. Switzerland’s 1,400 glaciers have shrunk by more than half in the last 85 years, while Arctic sea ice has decreased by about 40 per cent since 1978. Glaciers in the Himalayas could disappear by as early as 2035.

The best way to mitigate these losses is to rapidly decarbonise and limit global heating.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Saudi Arabia Faces Uncertainty Over Succession After Mohammed bin Salman
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Majority of French Voters View Macron's Presidency as a Failure
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
Head of Gaza Aid Group Resigns Amid Humanitarian Concerns
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
×