World's biggest iceberg breaks apart off South Georgia
A23a—the world's biggest and oldest iceberg—has started breaking apart in the South Atlantic.
Once as big as Oahu, it's now about the size of Greater London (1,700 sq km).
Scientists have tracked it since it broke off Antarctica in 1986.
Oceanographer Ted Scambos explains that its rapid breakup in warmer waters is totally normal and not caused by climate change.
A23a's journey and scientific significance
A23a's story has been full of twists: stranded for years in the Weddell Sea, then escaping in 2020, only to get stuck again in an ocean vortex last year.
Earlier this year, it narrowly missed crashing into South Georgia Island—a move that could've hurt local wildlife—before finally grounding offshore.
Even as it melts away, A23a keeps offering scientists valuable clues about how icebergs mix ocean waters and impact ecosystems.