The world’s largest iceberg, A23a, is on a collision course with a remote British island, potentially putting penguins and seals in danger. The iceberg is spinning northwards from Antarctica towards South Georgia, a rugged British territory and wildlife haven, where it could ground and smash into pieces. It is currently 173 miles (280km) away.
The iceberg is slowly decaying, with large slabs of ice breaking off, plunging into the waters around its edges. It once measured 3,900 sq km, but is now around 3,500 sq km, roughly the size of the English county of Cornwall.
Before its time comes to an end, A23a has left a parting gift for scientists. A team with the British Antarctic Survey on the Sir David Attenborough research vessel found themselves close to A23a and collected precious water samples 400m away from its cliffs.
The samples, which contain nutrients and chemicals as well as tiny animals like phytoplankton frozen inside, will help scientists understand how the iceberg’s melt water affects the carbon cycle in the southern ocean. As it melts, the iceberg releases these elements into the water, changing the physics and chemistry of the ocean, potentially storing more carbon deep in the ocean and locking away some of the planet’s carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to climate change.
Icebergs are notoriously unpredictable, and no-one knows what exactly A23a will do next.
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