In 2012, the extent of Arctic sea ice reached a record low, beating the previous mark set in 2007. One underappreciated aspect of that, illustrated in an interesting but unsettling animation from NOAA, is that Arctic ice is getting younger.
This accelerates ice loss, because older ice is stronger and more compact than the younger stuff, which crumbles and melts more easily. Check it out — and keep your eyes peeled for 2007, which obliterated much of the oldest ice. — Ryan Cooper
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