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

11/7/2025

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Summary

Story summary

The Hektoria Glacier in Antarctica's Eastern Peninsula recorded the fastest retreat in modern history, losing about 50% of its mass in two months from late 2022 to early 2023.
Researchers studying nearby glaciers documented this rapid retreat, totaling about five miles of calving.
Its flat bedrock allowed it to float and calve.
The findings imply other ice-plain glaciers could retreat similarly and raise sea levels.

History

Historical Context

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned in 2007 that global sea levels could rise by 18 to 59 centimeters by 2100 due to melting ice. Recent observations of the Hektoria Glacier, which lost 50% of its mass in just two months, underscore the urgency of climate action to mitigate flooding risks for coastal cities like Miami and New Orleans.

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Story summary

The Hektoria Glacier in Antarctica's Eastern Peninsula recorded the fastest retreat in modern history, losing about 50% of its mass in two months from late 2022 to early 2023.
Researchers studying nearby glaciers documented this rapid retreat, totaling about five miles of calving.
Its flat bedrock allowed it to float and calve.
The findings imply other ice-plain glaciers could retreat similarly and raise sea levels.

1 / 2