The extremely low Antarctic sea ice levels in 2023 were even more 'surprising' than scientists thought, a study has found.In 2023, over 770,000 square miles less ice than usual was recorded on the continent. New research published in the Geophysical Research Letters aimed to look more closely at this event and found that even with climate change contributing to sea ice loss, it is exceptionally rare.The scientists reached these findings by using satellites and a large climate dataset.
But as the climate warms, the ice is in big trouble. Climate change, exacerbated by human activities and greenhouse gases, is melting Antarctic ice at a quick rate. The continent is losing ice mass at a rate of 150 billion tons per year, according to NASA. This also contributes to rising sea levels, which could have a global impact.