Imagine if the UK just disappeared in the space of a week, now imagine if an area twice that size vanished. Well that's what's effectively happening in the Arctic with an area of ice that big melting only last week. Scientists are shocked at the speed of the melt, and as a result say the summertime Arctic could be completely free of ice by 2030.
It was previously estimated that this wouldn't occur until around 2100 or 2070. The huge amounts of ice which have melted this summer means the Northwest Passage of Canada can now be navigated by ship, and the Northeast passage along Russia's Arctic coast could open up later this month.
The sea ice usually melts in the Arctic during the summer and re-freezes in winter, but this year due to the large amounts of open water and the increase in temperatures means this could prove difficult. There are some natural factors which can cause this type of melting, but scientists have no doubt it's man who is mainly to blame.
[via The Guardian]
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