Deadly Cracks Appear in Arctic Permafrost

Science journal reports accelerated melting in Queen Elizabeth Islands (QEI) ice zone, Canada’s north. Since 1997, annual thawing has advanced by 5 days each year, depriving multi-year ice of its “refuge.”Data: Once considered the Arctic’s most stable ice zone, this region is now “becoming a graveyard for multi-year ice,” threatening the survival of polar species like polar bears. The Arctic is warming at 2-3 times the global average rate, and the accelerated melting of ice sheets is driving sea level rise.