London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

London-sized iceberg breaks off Antarctica but scientists aren’t worried

London-sized iceberg breaks off Antarctica but scientists aren’t worried

A vast iceberg equivalent to the size of Greater London has broken off the Antarctic ice shelf.
The huge iceberg, which measures more than 1,550 square kilometers, broke away from the 150-meter-thick Brunt Ice Shelf on Sunday.

The good news is that the split is a natural process known as ‘calving,’ and is not linked to climate change, the British Antarctic Survey say.

The new berg is the second iceberg to break off in two years, as a massive crack called ‘Chasm-1’ extends through the Brunt ice shelf.

The icy mass is likely to drift into the Weddell Sea. It will be named later by the US National Ice Center.

Why has this massive iceberg broken off Antarctica?

The Chasm-1 crack has been forming for a few years - as evidenced by striking footage from 2019.

Such cracks are common around the edges of Antarctica, explains Professor Dominic Hodgson, a glaciologist for the British Antarctic Survey.

“The ice shelves around Antarctica are extensions, floating extensions, of the Antarctic ice sheet. So they do periodically extend out to sea and then break off.

“This one has been doing that for a number of years now.”

Perhaps surprisingly, the event is not linked to climate change, Hogson says.

"Some of the ice shelves that are broken up in more northerly locations are the result of climate change. But this one is further south. And it's worse. It's well below freezing there,” he explains.

"So it's not linked to any changes in atmospheric or ocean temperatures. The reason it's important, it's a very large calving event for Antarctica.”

The British Antarctic Survey recently moved their station inland. If they hadn’t done so, it would currently be floating out to sea on the new iceberg.

This breakage isn’t linked to climate change - but it’s the exception, not the rule.

As temperatures increase, Antarctica is losing ice mass at an average rate of about 150 billion tons per year. Greenland is melting at around 280 billion tons per year.

Meltwater from these sheets is responsible for about one-third of the global average rise in sea level since 1993.

The melt problem is evident all over the world. Switzerland’s 1,400 glaciers have shrunk by more than half in the last 85 years, while Arctic sea ice has decreased by about 40 per cent since 1978. Glaciers in the Himalayas could disappear by as early as 2035.

The best way to mitigate these losses is to rapidly decarbonise and limit global heating.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×