It’s impossible to predict if crucial Antarctic glacier will collapse

By Michael Marshall

NASA Goddard

A major Antarctic glacier is at risk of disintegrating irreversibly if it passes a key tipping point, which could trigger the collapse of the entire West Antarctic ice sheet – and we can’t say when it might happen.

Pine Island glacier is one of two glaciers flowing into Pine Island Bay, part of the Amundsen Sea off West Antarctica. The other is Thwaites glacier. Both have retreated rapidly due to climate change, contributing to rising sea levels.

“Of all glaciers around Antarctica, we believe Pine Island …