Entertainment Report
A hole opens up under Antarctic glacier — big enough to fit two-thirds of Manhattan
Scientists have discovered an enormous void under an Antarctic glacier, sparking concern that the ice sheet is melting faster than anyone had realized — and spotlighting the dire threat posed by rising seas to coastal cities around the world, including New York City and Miami.
The cavity under Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica is about six miles long and 1,000 feet deep — representing the loss of 14 billion tons of ice.
It was discovered after an analysis of data collected by Italian and German satellites, as well as NASA’s Operation IceBridge, a program in which aircraft equipped with ice-penetrating radar fly over polar regions to study the terrain.
The discovery is described in a paper published Jan. 30 in the journal Science Advances. The researchers expected to see significant loss of ice, but the scale of the void came as a shock.
“The size of the cavity is surprising, and as it melts, it’s causing the glacier to retreat,” said Pietro Milillo, a radar scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, and the paper’s lead author. He said the ice shelf encompassing the Florida-sized glacier is retreating at a rate in excess of 650 feet per year, and that most of the melting that led to the void occurred during the past three years.
–Sinking areas at Thwaites Glacier are shown here in red and rising areas in blue. The growing cavity (red mass, center) caused the greatest sinking.NASA/JPL-Caltech
Previous research showed that meltwater from Thwaites accounts for about 4 percent of the global sea level rise, said Ted Scambos, a senior research scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colorado, who was not involved with the new study.
If the loss of ice becomes so severe that the glacier collapses — something computer models predict could happen in 50 to 100 years — sea levels would rise by two feet. That’s enough to inundate coastal cities across the globe.
“It’s completely plausible,” Scambos said, adding that “Thwaites has a really perfect storm going for it” — a reference to the fact that parts of the glacier lie below sea level and are thus especially vulnerable to melting by seawater.
The discovery of the void comes as Scambos and other American and British scientists are gearing up for a major new research initiative. The five-year International Thwaites Glacier Collaborationwill use robots and ocean weather stations, as well as more than a dozen seals fitted with sensors designed to collect data about glacial ice and the surrounding water.
“This paper really helps put a bull’s-eye on some of the places we want to study,” Scambos said.
By: NBC Palm Springs
February 4, 2019
Latest Instagram Posts
New findings reveal what led to the death of Jackie, the beloved bald eagle from Big Bear Valley. A necropsy confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza (bird flu) as the primary cause of her decline. The infection caused a severe stomach ulcer, internal bleeding, anemia and a secondary bacterial infection. Testing also detected rat poison in Jackie’s liver, but officials say it was not identified as the primary cause of her death. Tests were negative for West Nile virus, and lead levels were within acceptable limits. Jackie’s mate, Shadow, remains in Big Bear Valley. Officials say there is no evidence that Shadow or the eaglets are sick. Jackie’s story captured hearts across the country and brought attention to bald eagle conservation. #JackieTheEagle #BigBear #BaldEagles #WildlifeConservation #BirdFlu #NBCPalmSprings
As discussion around flock cameras continues to spark greater conversations about surveillance and security, the Palm Springs Police Department is expected to provide an update on their flock camera program at tonight’s city council meeting. Stay tuned with NBC Palm Springs as we bring the latest details on this discussion #flockcameras #palmsprings #citycouncil #coachellavalley #760
A potent cold front will finally bring widespread fall-like temperatures to much of the central and eastern US.
Republican Rep. Mike Collins and Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff clashed over Jeffrey Epstein during a debate in Georgia. Collins challenged Ossoff over campaign donations from LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, who has acknowledged meeting Jeffrey Epstein, while Ossoff countered accusing Collins of voting against releasing Epstein-related records, and helping to "cover up" evidence.
A man and his nephew captured the moment a huge whale slammed into the side of their boat while they were fishing off the coast of Long Island, New York.
Winnie the Pooh turns 100. The popular bear's legacy lives on not only in books but as toys and collectibles too.
🎶 60 ARRESTS, BUT NO $48K FINE? Head Trip Music Festival is over, but the aftermath is making headlines. Indio police made 60 arrests during the two-day festival, nearly half for drug possession. Meanwhile, the city is waiving a potential $48,000 fine after Swedish House Mafia played past the midnight curfew — citing weather disruptions that forced Saturday’s festival to shut down early. #Indio #HeadTripFestival #SwedishHouseMafia #CoachellaValley #BreakingNews
🙏 Prayers pouring in from around the world for Pope Leo XIV. The 71-year-old pontiff is recovering after surgery revealed lung cancer. Doctors say the growth was detected at an early stage — highlighting why early detection can make all the difference. ❤️ #PopeLeoXIV #LungCancer #EarlyDetection #YourHealthToday
🚨 Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco is speaking out after California lawmakers decided to destroy ballots from the 2025 special election, ending his investigation into possible ballot miscount. What do you think the decision means for election transparency, accountability, and the ongoing questions surrounding election integrity? Let us know in the comments. #ChadBianco #RiversideCounty #CaliforniaPolitics #electionnews
Should Palm Springs residents elect their mayor directly? The city is asking residents to weigh in on whether to change its current system, where the mayor rotates annually among the five City Council members. Community meetings are scheduled for Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at ALO Palm Canyon and Monday at Palm Springs High School. Residents can also complete an online survey in English or Spanish. Share your input before next Monday at EngagePalmSprings.com. #PalmSprings #PalmSpringsNews #CoachellaValley #LocalGovernment #CityCouncil CommunityInput NBCPalmSprings