EARTHx Series: Antarctica is melting, but why now?

It is widely known that the Antarctic ice sheet is melting and contributing to sea level rise. Why is this happening now? This is not a simple case of a warmer climate. Antarctica is primarily melting from below, where relatively warm ocean water is the underside of ice shelves. Yet, the water itself is not much warmer than it has always been -- the ocean surrounding Antarctica has probably warmed only about a tenth of a degree in the last century. So, what is going on? Dr. Eric Steig, Professor and Chair of the Department of Earth and Space Sciences for the University of Washington, was our January 2024 EARTHx speaker. In this video he discusses his current research about why Antarctica is melting now. Presented on January 18, 2024 at the University of Calgary.