Antarctic glacier retreats faster than ever recorded, losing 8 km of ice in two months

The Hektoria Glacier lost about 8 km of ice in early 2023. PIC COURTESY/Naomi Ochwat

A glacier on the eastern side of Antarctica has undergone the fastest retreat ever documented in modern times. In only two months, nearly half of the ice vanished.

The Hektoria Glacier lost about 8 km of ice in early 2023. The collapse was driven by its unusually flat bedrock, which allowed it to start floating once it thinned significantly.

This shift caused the glacier to rapidly break apart. The discovery offers a new way to pinpoint glaciers that may be at risk of similar rapid retreats.

Experts warn that comparable events could have severe consequences for global sea levels.

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