Green Daily

As if the science behind global warming weren't complicated enough already, now researcher are finding that while sea ice in the Arctic is disappearing far faster than expected, sea ice at the southern end of the planet appears to be expanding. According to the Christian Science Monitor, the area covered by sea ice in Antarctica (distinct from the giant glaciers which dominate the Antarctic continent) has actually grown over the last 20 years. The growth is greater than most climate models had predicted.

The dynamics of sea ice near the South Pole aren't nearly as well understood as in the north, but large yearly swings in coverage are common. The exact reasons for the growth are unknown, and scientists are installing a network of buoys in the region to monitor the situation more closely. Last year international research groups also got together to analyze the data in order to incorporate it into computer climate models.

It's likely that some climate change deniers will seize on this new information as "proof' that global warming is a myth, and still more likely that they will completely wrong. The expansion of sea ice seems to be part of an overall phenomenon that includes huge losses to the massive ice sheets which cover Antarctica. However, more research is required to really understand the implications of the findings.