Melting ice
The Antarctic ice sheet is melting at its fastest rate in history data shows. Three years of
data from the European Space Agency’s Cryosat satellite shows the Antarctic ice sheet is
losing 159 billion tones of ice a year – twice as much as when it was last surveyed from
2005-2010.

The polar ice sheets are a major contributor to the rise in global sea levels. These new
losses from Antarctica are enough to raise global sea levels by 0.45mm each year, say
scientists from the UK’s Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling.
Oceans of Plastic
As much as 88% of the oceans’ surface contains plastic debris, raising concern about the
effect on marine life and the food chain, scientists say.
Mass produced plastics from toys, bags, food containers and utensils make their way into
the oceans through storm water run-off.
The findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences are based on more
than 3000 ocean samples collected around the world by a Spanish science expedition in
2010..