Earth shed 12.5 trillion tons of ice since 1979, nudging global seas higher

A major study using NASA/ESA satellite data finds Greenland and Antarctica have lost about 12.5 trillion tons of ice since 1979, enough to raise global sea levels by roughly one inch. Most melt comes from warmer ocean waters and dynamic ice processes, not just warmer air, signaling continued sea‑level rise for decades even if warming slows.