🧊 The World’s Largest Iceberg Is About to Vanish

 Nearly 40 years after it broke away from Antarctica, the colossal iceberg A23a — once the largest and oldest free-floating iceberg ever recorded — is now rapidly disintegrating in warm waters and may vanish completely within weeks.


🌍 A Giant on Its Last Journey

Earlier this year, A23a weighed close to a trillion tons and was more than twice the size of Greater London. Today, it’s less than half that size — just 1,770 km², with chunks as large as 400 km² breaking off in recent weeks.

Drifting further north, A23a is now moving through warmer seas and breaking apart faster each day. According to oceanographer Andrew Meijers of the British Antarctic Survey:

“The water is too warm for A23a to survive. It’s melting constantly, and within weeks, it may no longer be recognizable.”

🕰 A Remarkable History

  • 1986: A23a calved from the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf in Antarctica.

  • For 30+ years: It was stuck on the seabed of the Weddell Sea.

  • 2020: Freed by shrinking size, it drifted into the Southern Ocean.

  • 2025: After grounding near South Georgia Island, it escaped again and now races northward at up to 20 km per day.

🐧 Wildlife Concerns

When A23a stalled near South Georgia earlier this year, scientists feared it could disrupt colonies of penguins and seals raising their young. Thankfully, the iceberg moved on — but its sheer size and unpredictable drift still pose risks for ships and ecosystems.

🔥 A Symbol of Climate Change?

Icebergs breaking off is a natural process. But scientists warn that the rate of ice loss in Antarctica is accelerating, with human-driven climate change playing a major role.

That A23a lasted so long is remarkable — most icebergs don’t survive this far from their frozen birthplace. Yet even the biggest iceberg can’t outrun warm waters forever.

The story of A23a is both awe-inspiring and sobering. It’s a reminder of nature’s power, the fragility of polar ice, and the urgency of tackling climate change before more giants like this disappear for good.

source: AFP, Reuter

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