Oh, great!
Photo via NASA Earth Observatory
Just another Manhattan-sized chunk of Antarctica breaking off and scooting fancy free into the ocean.
Photo via NASA Earth Observatory.
The Pine Island glacier, where the break took place, also experienced large ice losses in 2014 and 2015. This cleavage is smaller, but still alarming to scientists, who fear the trend is accelerating.
"Such ‘rapid fire’ calving does appear to be unusual for this glacier," Ohio State University glaciologist Ian Howat said in a NASA press release.
This is really not a great time for solid ice on Earth.
The Antarctic iceberg's decision to peace out from the Pine Island glacier comes amid reports of frequent "heat waves" at the poles and record low amounts of sea ice.
Just three years ago, this — the largest-ever glacial cleaving caught on film — happened in Greenland:
GIF from "Chasing Ice"/Submarine Deluxe.
It's a good thing the new U.S. administration's incoming EPA chief is a responsible steward of the Earth, at one with nature, devoted to...
Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images.
... oh. Right. He's 100% not.
As Oklahoma attorney general, Scott Pruitt devoted much of his energy to suing the EPA — the very department he's been put forward to lead. Prior to his nomination, he bragged about being "a leading advocate against the EPA’s activist agenda."
He's also not so sure about this whole climate change thing being legit, which, you know...
GIF from "Chasing Ice"/Submarine Deluxe.
...is troubling. To say the least.
The Senate is scheduled to vote on Pruitt's nomination soon.
And there are some signs he might be in trouble.
Maine's Susan Collins is a "no" and John McCain is out of the house. That means just one more senator needs to flip if Pruitt is going to be rejected. A few have shown willingness to buck Trump on other priorities: Alaska's Lisa Murkowski, who voted against Betsy DeVos, Kentucky's Rand Paul, who has opposed several of the administration's proposed state department hires, and South Carolina's Lindsay Graham, who's been critical of Trump on national security issues.
If you live in one of those states, do give your senators a call. Now.
Save our ice!
The glacier, in happier, non-cleaved times. Photo via NASA Earth Observatory.
(And, you know, our coastal cities and civilization, while we're at it).
Update — 2/17/17, 1:21p.m. ET: Welp. Pruitt went through. Good try, everyone. You should still call your senators, though, and tell them to stand up to any attempt to roll back climate rules and legislation. Earth's glaciers are counting on you!
<br>
No comments:
Post a Comment