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Antarctica's Hektoria Glacier Loses 50% Mass in Two Months

11/4/2025

Summary

Story summary

University of Colorado Boulder researchers report Hektoria Glacier on Antarctica's Eastern Peninsula lost nearly 50% of its mass in two months in late 2022, the fastest retreat in history.
The glacier retreated about 8 kilometers as its ice-plain position made it buoyant and calving-prone.
The findings raise concerns that larger glaciers could raise global sea levels.
The findings were published in Nature Geoscience, underscoring monitoring needs as climate change accelerates.

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Story summary

University of Colorado Boulder researchers report Hektoria Glacier on Antarctica's Eastern Peninsula lost nearly 50% of its mass in two months in late 2022, the fastest retreat in history.
The glacier retreated about 8 kilometers as its ice-plain position made it buoyant and calving-prone.
The findings raise concerns that larger glaciers could raise global sea levels.
The findings were published in Nature Geoscience, underscoring monitoring needs as climate change accelerates.