Gigantic hole two-thirds the size of Manhattan discovered in Antarctic glacier

[highplainsdem]

Source: CNN

A massive cavity two-thirds the size of Manhattan has been discovered growing in an Antarctic glacier, signaling rapid ice decay that has shocked scientists.

The huge hole -- measuring almost 1,000 feet (300 meters) tall -- was found growing at an "explosive rate" at the bottom of a glacier in West Antarctica, said NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in a statement Wednesday.

The Thwaites Glacier is around the size of Florida, and the team of NASA-led scientists researching it had expected to find "some gaps" between the ice and bedrock.

-snip-

The cavity was "big enough to have contained 14 billion tons of ice, and most of that ice melted over the last three years," they added.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/31/health/antarctic-glacier-cavity-nasa-intl/index.html

---

The article goes on to explain that the Thwaites Glacier holds enough ice to raise world ocean levels over 2 feet, and it's backstopping glaciers that would add another 8 feet to sea level if all that ice melts.

[Achilleaze]

1. republican lies about climate change are profoundly dangerous

republican lies about climate change are profoundly dangerous
republican lies about climate change are profoundly dangerous
republican lies about climate change are profoundly dangerous
republican lies about climate change are profoundly dangerous
republican lies about climate change are profoundly dangerous
republican lies about climate change are profoundly dangerous
republican lies about climate change are profoundly dangerous
republican lies about climate change are profoundly dangerous
republican lies about climate change are profoundly dangerous
republican lies about climate change are profoundly dangerous
republican lies about climate change are profoundly dangerous
republican lies about climate change are profoundly dangerous
republican lies about climate change are profoundly dangerous
republican lies about climate change are profoundly dangerous
republican lies about climate change are profoundly dangerous

[MBS]

7. They sure are. n/t

[theaocp]

2. Holy fucking shit.

We may just be totally fucked.

[MLAA]

3. Small edit

We ARE totally fucked.

[scarytomcat]

5. we are totally fucked

this the beginning of the end
people need to wake up. We need to get off fossil fuels yesterday.
We are not talking about the end of the century. This along with an ice free arctic is ten years max.

[MLAA]

10. Go vegan

Biggest impact we can do individually. Might be too late, but we need to try.

[scarytomcat]

13. yes that would help too

we are moving that way in my household
coal use needs to end
time for a green revolution

[Moostache]

6. Not just "us" (humans)...

We have basically kicked into gear another mass extinction event on the planet. I tend to doubt that anything larger than a hamster or rat will survive into the 22nd century and that human civilization will completely disappear by 2075 if not sooner.

1) Climate refugees are going to become THE issue soon - right alongside a global collapse in the consumer-driven economy.
2) AI/Robotics will replace much of the menial labor jobs in the world by 2030 and massive unemployment and civil unrest will proceed apace.
3) Trigger points around the globe - Israel/Palestine; India/Pakistan; Northern Ireland/Ireland; North Korea / South Korea; China / Taiwan; damn near everywhere in Africa that hasn't already taken a run at genocide - are going to erupt in violence as people become more afraid, more insecure, more desperate and opportunistic hacks in politics prey upon the fear like maggots on dung heaps.
4) Nuclear exchanges will occur with horrifying results but more horrifyingly greater regularity - we have seen just 2 atomic bombs deployed in 74 years of having the technology...expect to see at least 2 in the next 74 months.
5) As crop yields fall, employment evaporates, economies contract and fail and people become desperate, strongmen dictators will seize ever more power and war is inevitable as they need external enemies to focus the rage of their people upon...at first it will be massive killings along the borders, then it will become "defensive incursions to prevent invasions", and finally it will be naked territorial aggression and attempts to subjugate peoples.
6) This is all already set in motion - the wedge between the USA and Europe and our allies is splitting the alliances that held together the world order for the last 74 years - the only questions left are will we sit back and watch it happen or can we mobilize enough resistance to stop it?

I have no hope.

[MLAA]

11. Yep, I think time for hope has passed.

But if we all go vegan yesterday, we might slow the inevitable. But likely too late for anything. We’ve really screwed up our planet and will take ourselves and all species out.

[defacto7]

12. I agree for the most part though I push the time line out

a little farther. Not by much. Why are the oligarchs and even the basic billionaires plundering and hoarding? Are we all so sure they are stupid? They may be greedy narcissists and even psychopaths but most are not stupid. Some may be religious end-timers but most are gearing up for the inevitable clash when the environment collapses and there is some twisted logic in the idea that speeding up the collapse will solidify power more efficiently. But they can't stop their own demise.

I have little hope in the long run. But I'll go down fighting and I'll live life to the hilt along the way.

[DirtEdonE]

4. A giant hole discovered 2/3 the size of Manhattan!

trump must be sleeping on his stomach again.

[jalan48]

8. Climate change should be the #1 issue in our 2020 election because it affects everyone.

[dixiegrrrrl]

9. Not to mention that ongoing open air nuclear disaster in Japan.

The one we never hear about any more.

"the earth is gonna shake us off like a case of bad fleas"

Not only did Carlin really know what he was talking about, most of his fans knew that he knew.

[Bayard]

14. I don't see any way to repair this

Can't blame this on 2 years worth of tRump, but he has definitely been a detriment. Catastrophically wrong track, rolling back the progress Obama made in regulation.

[highplainsdem]

15. kick

[DeminPennswoods]

16. A few years ago, PBS had a show

(Nature or NOVA) about how glaciers "melt". I was amazed that it took on a small crack and trickle of water to cause the glacier to start disintegrating.