The Surprising Sound of Melting Glaciers: 'Gunshots' and Accelerated Melting

Scientists have discovered that the billions of tiny air bubbles trapped in ice are accelerating the melting of tidewater glaciers, causing them to lose over 70 billion tons of ice per year in Alaska alone. As the ice melts, the bursting bubbles create a violent pop of air that stirs up the cold layer of water, bringing warmer water into contact with the ice. This discovery could help explain the sharp reductions in the abundance of seals in some Alaskan fjords and improve our understanding of climate change and its impact on rising sea levels.