The story
In late 2022, an Antarctic glacier, named Hektoria, shrunk by nearly 50% in just two months.
According to a new study, this was the fastest a glacier has retreated that scientists have recorded in modern history. Retreated means it melted and got smaller.
Hektoria is a type of glacier which rests on the seabed and doesn’t float. Glaciers like this generally retreat only a few hundred metres a year. But between November and December 2022, Hektoria retreated by 8 km, according to the study.
Scientists are concerned because if more glaciers like this shrink as quickly, there could be a much faster rise in sea-level.
News headlines
Antarctic glacier’s alarming retreat is the fastest ever seen
New Scientist
Antarctic glacier saw the fastest retreat in modern history; it could spell trouble for sea levels, report finds
CNN
Antarctic glacier’s rapid retreat sparks scientific ‘whodunnit‘
BBC News
Key words and phrases
alarming
cause fear or worry
- The nurse called for help when the patient had an alarming drop in blood pressure.
spell trouble
cause trouble
- A new supermarket could spell trouble for smaller local shops.
whodunnit
a story about a mystery or a crime
- When money went missing from the business accounts, it turned into a whodunnit.