Photo: EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY/AFP via Getty
A gigantic piece of ice has broken off from Antarctica and become the largest iceberg in the world, theEuropean Space Agencyannounced this week.
The oblong-shaped formation spans 1,668 square miles and measures about 108 miles long and 15.5 miles wide, according to the organization, which published satellite images to its website on Wednesday.
The measurements mean the iceberg, named A-76, is larger than the state of Rhode Island, which has a landmass of 1,034 square miles,Reutersreported. The second-largest iceberg in the world, dubbed A-23A, measures 1,305 square miles, the ESA said.
“Iceberg A-76 calves from the western side of the Ronne Ice Shelf in the Weddell Sea and is currently the largest iceberg in the world,” the U.S. National Ice Centertweetedon May 14.
According toCNN, scientists don’t believe the iceberg was formed as a result of climate change. Instead, they say it was part of its natural cycle since large sections of ice break off from ice shelves at regular intervals.
The breaking off of A-76 also won’t contribute to sea-level rise, CNN reported, since it was already part of a floating ice shelf that displaces water. It’s similar to how an ice cube doesn’t increase the amount of liquid in a cup, the outlet explained.
Though A-76 is currently the largest iceberg in the world, it’s not the largest on record. The B-15 iceberg, which broke off from Antarctica in 2000, clocked in at a massive 4,200 square miles before it eventually melted away, according toNBC News.
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This week’s announcement isn’t the only iceberg-related news to make headlines this year. In February, aniceberg larger than New York City broke off from Antarctica.
The iceberg was expected for at least a decade when scientists spotted large cracks in the ice shelf, the British Antarctic Surveysaid at the time.
source: people.com
