A massive iceberg named A23A, which broke off from the Filchner Shelf Glacier in West Antarctica in September 1986, is now drifting in the Weddell Sea along the shores of Antarctica at a speed of over 150 km per month after decades of being grounded and turning into an ice island. This event serves as a reminder of the changes happening in the icy continent, and the possible consequences of melting ice.
If all of Antarctica's ice were to melt, the global sea level would rise by about 58 meters, causing densely populated coastal areas to disappear. However, Antarctica, which is the fifth largest continent, holds about 90% of the world's ice, and if it were to melt, it would release a large amount of fresh water, which is not abundant on Earth. Despite having the most water, Antarctica is considered a desert as it has the lowest precipitation levels on Earth. It is also home to the planet's largest glaciers, and contains about 26.5 million cubic km of ice, which weighs approximately 24 million 380,000 gigatons.
