Glaciers are enormous bodies of ice, formed over centuries from compacted snow, integral to Earth's climate system. These slow-moving ice giants store vast...
A glacier is a large, perennial accumulation of crystalline ice, snow, rock, sediment, and liquid water that originates on land and moves downslope under its own weight.
Glaciers form when snow accumulates over many years, compacts under its own weight, recrystallizes into denser ice (firn), and eventually transforms into solid glacial ice.
Glaciers are vital freshwater reservoirs, support unique ecosystems, and act as key indicators of climate change, influencing sea levels and water resources for many communities.
The largest glaciers are found in polar regions like Antarctica and Greenland. Smaller glaciers exist in mountainous regions across all continents except Australia.
Glacial melt is the process where glacier ice turns into water. Its impact includes rising sea levels, changes in freshwater availability, and disruptions to global ocean currents and ecosystems.