"Doomsday Glacier" Breakup Could Speed Up Sea Level Rise

Scientists warn that a massive ice chunk is about to break off from Antarctica’s “Doomsday Glacier,” raising new uncertainty about how fast the world’s oceans will rise by the year 2100. The glacier, officially named Thwaites Glacier, is one of the main reasons researchers are concerned about future sea levels. A huge section of ice there now appears ready to detach. “Changes can happen very quickly,” said oceanographer Ola Kalén. The potential breakup adds to the difficulty of predicting exactly how much the seas will rise. The glacier’s collapse could trigger a rapid release of ice, pushing up coastlines worldwide.