No Ice at the North Pole

Researchers suggest that the North Pole could completely lose its ice this summer for the first time in human history. The rate of melting has increased in recent years and a greater proportion of the ice is from a single season, reports Steve Connor for the Independent. “The polar regions are experiencing the most dramatic increase in average temperatures due to global warming and scientists fear that as more sea ice is lost, the darker, open ocean will absorb more heat and raise local temperatures even further,” he writes. Wind patterns and sunshine influence the melting as well. The melting of polar ice raises the possibility of nations competing to access minerals or fossil fuels in the area, which according to researchers will only exacerbate climate change and its challenges. – YaleGlobal