The world’s largest ice sheet is melting at an alarming rate, according to new research.
The East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) contains most of the Earth’s glacier ice.
The ice sheet was thought to be staying the same size, despite global warming.
However, scientists have found that some parts of the EAIS have been lost over recent decades.
Researchers at Durham University concluded that according to current trends the EAIS could cause nearly half a metre of sea-level rise by 2100, and between two and five metres by 2500.
What are ice sheets?
Ice sheets, which are also known as continental glaciers, are huge masses of glacial ice largely formed from freshwater.
The research team, which included scientists from the UK, Australia, France, and the US, looked at how the ice sheet responded to past warm periods when making their predictions.
Ice sheets can extend over huge bodies of water where they become ice shelves.
