Global Sea Ice Hits a New Low

Earth is missing a lot of sea ice this year.Enough to cover the entire United States east of the Mississippi.That was announced by researchers at NASA and the National Snow and Ice Data Center on Thursday, who said the amount of sea ice on the planet had reached the lowest level ever recorded in March.The record comes days after the World Meteorological Organization reported that the past 10 years have been the 10 hottest on record, with 2024 the hottest year.

The global rise in temperatures is tied to increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases, largely caused by the burning of fossil fuels.“Warming temperatures drive melting ice across the globe, and because we’re seeing such high temperatures, it’s not surprising that this year we’re seeing the least amount of ice coverage,” said Linette Boisvert, an ice scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.The center has been compiling data for almost 50 years, primarily through a Department of Defense satellite program.The global sea ice extent includes measurements taken in both the Southern Hemisphere and the Northern Hemisphere, which experience opposite seasons.Dr.

Boisvert compared the freezing and melting of sea ice between winter and summer to the heartbeat of the planet.The pulses between the winter maximum and summer minimum used to be shorter.

But with more sea ice melting away, the distance between pulses has grown larger.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe....