Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 12/03/2009 - 18:40
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IceCube: In-ice Antarctic Telescope

I would like to know if global warming is makeing the ice hard to walk on because you do not know when it could gave out?

by :jon rodriguez

Fri, 12/04/2009 - 11:20

Casey OHara

Here at the South Pole, global warming has not caused the temperatures to rise enough to melt the ice. It is still very safe to walk on the ice here!  In other parts of Antarctica, scientists are worried that changing climate might make the ice sheets (that cover the whole continent) slide into the ocean faster, causing rises in the sea level around the world (like putting more ice cubes into a cup that's already full of water). And climate change does have huge effects on ice in other parts of the world.  For example, in many places, glaciers are melting much faster than previously.  Some famous examples are in places like Alaska and Argentina.  Even in California (where I am from) most of our water comes from glaciers, so if they melt too fast, we won't have enough water in the summer time.
Another example was studied by another PolarTREC researcher, who went to the Arctic to see how climate change is affecting polar bears.  Polar bears depend on ice to help them hunt for food - and the ice they depend on is disappearing faster than ever.  A link to her journal is here.