Expedition to Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica

Expedition to Thwaites Glacier: What Scientists Went to Measure—and What the World Stands to Lose

Thwaites Glacier, a Florida-sized river of ice flowing from West Antarctica into the Amundsen Sea, has become one of the most closely watched places on Earth. It is remote, brutally cold, and logistically expensive to reach, yet international teams of scientists have repeatedly mounted ambitious expeditions there for a simple reason: Thwaites is changing fast, and the way it fails could reshape coastlines worldwide.

Often called the “Doomsday Glacier” in popular media, Thwaites deserves serious scientific attention without the hype. Its importance is not that catastrophe is inevitable tomorrow, but that its geometry and setting make it unusually vulnerable to continued warming—much of it driven by human-caused greenhouse-gas emissions from fossil fuels. The expedition work at Thwaites is therefore not just polar exploration; it is frontline climate risk research: measuring how rapidly the glacier is retreating, why it is retreating, and how much sea-level rise could follow if destabilization continues.

Why go to Thwaites at all?

Antarctica is vast, and many glaciers are changing. Thwaites stands out because it is both massive and strategically positioned. It drains a large portion of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS), and its retreat can help “unplug” neighboring ice, accelerating ice loss beyond its own basin. Scientists also focus on Thwaites because it sits on bedrock that slopes downward inland—an arrangement that can promote self-sustaining retreat once triggered, a process known as marine ice sheet instability.

To understand this risk, researchers need more than satellite images. They need direct observations of what is happening where the ice meets the ocean—the grounding zone—because that is where warm seawater can melt the glacier from below, thinning it until it loses its grip on the bed and retreats.

That is the central scientific reason for expeditions to Thwaites: to quantify the physical processes—ocean heat delivery, sub-ice melting, ice deformation, and fracture—that determine the glacier’s future.

A major collaborative effort that exemplifies this work is the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration (ITGC), a partnership between the U.S. National Science Foundation and UK Research and Innovation. The project combined field campaigns, airborne surveys, satellite analyses, and numerical modeling to reduce uncertainty about Thwaites’ trajectory.
Reference: https://www.thwaitesglacier.org/

What scientists do on the ice

Fieldwork at Thwaites looks like a blend of geophysics, oceanography, and engineering—performed in one of the harshest environments on the planet.

1) Drilling through hundreds of meters of ice
One of the most consequential expedition methods is hot-water drilling. Teams melt narrow boreholes through the floating ice shelf or near the grounding zone to reach the ocean cavity below. Instruments are lowered to measure temperature, salinity, currents, and turbulence—data needed to calculate how much heat is reaching the ice and how quickly it can melt it.

In a landmark study, scientists directly accessed the ocean cavity beneath Thwaites and observed warm water and vigorous mixing capable of driving substantial basal melt.

2) Mapping the seafloor and subglacial terrain
The shape of the bed beneath the glacier controls how water flows and where ice is likely to retreat. Expedition teams use ice-penetrating radar, seismic surveys, and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to map cavities and ridges that can either slow retreat (pinning points) or accelerate it (deep channels that funnel warm water).

AUV missions under ice shelves are particularly challenging and valuable because they can map the under-ice environment where ships cannot go.

3) Measuring ice flow, stress, and fracture
Scientists deploy GPS networks to track ice motion, place seismometers to detect cracking and basal slip, and use radar to identify weaknesses and rift systems. These measurements reveal whether an ice shelf is acting like a “buttress” (a braking force) or losing structural integrity.

Ice shelves do not directly raise sea level when they melt (they already float), but they matter enormously because they restrain the glaciers behind them. If Thwaites’ ice shelf weakens or collapses, the glacier’s inland ice can accelerate into the ocean, raising sea level.

4) Combining field data with satellite observations and models
Satellites provide continuous measurements of ice velocity, elevation change, and grounding-line migration, while field data provide the “ground truth” that makes models realistic. The goal is to narrow the range of plausible futures: how fast retreat could proceed and under what ocean and atmospheric conditions.

The immediate reason for the trip: warm ocean water is attacking the glacier from below

Thwaites is not primarily threatened by warm air melting its surface, as many mountain glaciers are. Its most critical vulnerability is ocean-driven basal melting at and near the grounding line. The Amundsen Sea has access to relatively warm deep water (often referred to in the literature as Circumpolar Deep Water). When currents carry this water onto the continental shelf and into cavities beneath ice shelves, it can melt the ice from underneath—out of sight, but powerfully.

This is why expedition teams invest so much effort in under-ice oceanography: if you want to understand Thwaites, you must understand the heat budget of the water bathing its underside.

The dangers to the world if Thwaites breaks up

Risk from Thwaites is best understood in layers:

1) Thwaites’ own contribution to sea level rise
If Thwaites Glacier were to lose all its grounded ice, its contribution to global mean sea level is often cited at roughly 0.6–0.7 meters (about 2 feet). This figure is widely reported and aligns with assessments based on ice volume above flotation.

2) The “plug” effect and the wider West Antarctic Ice Sheet
Thwaites is sometimes described as a keystone because its retreat could destabilize adjacent drainage basins in the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. If a broader WAIS collapse were initiated and sustained over time, the total contribution could reach on the order of ~3 meters (roughly 10 feet) of global mean sea level.

Reference (IPCC AR6 WGI: sea level rise, ice-sheet uncertainty): https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/
Reference (IPCC AR6 SROCC: ice sheets and sea level): https://www.ipcc.ch/srocc/

Those are global mean numbers. The real-world impact at specific coasts can be higher or lower depending on ocean dynamics, gravitational effects, and land subsidence. In many highly populated deltas and coastal cities, even tens of centimeters of additional rise greatly increases the frequency of damaging floods.

3) Faster acceleration of coastal extremes
Sea level rise is not just about permanent inundation. It acts as a “riser” beneath storm surges and high tides, causing events that used to be rare to become frequent. This translates to more saltwater intrusion into drinking-water aquifers, higher costs for stormwater systems, greater erosion, and increasing disruption of ports, roads, and coastal housing.

4) Potential for abrupt retreat versus long, drawn-out change
A key uncertainty is timescale. Some ice-sheet processes unfold over centuries; others can accelerate rapidly once thresholds are crossed. Thwaites’ grounding line has been retreating, and parts of the glacier show signs of structural vulnerability, but scientists are careful about pinning down exact dates for worst-case outcomes. The purpose of expeditions is to reduce that uncertainty by measuring the processes that govern change.

Reference (IPCC AR6: discussion of “low-likelihood, high-impact” outcomes including ice-sheet instabilities): https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/chapter/chapter-9/

How much sea level rise could occur?

To summarize the most policy-relevant numbers used in scientific and assessment contexts:

- Thwaites Glacier alone: approximately 0.6–0.7 meters (about 2 feet) potential global mean sea-level rise if its grounded ice were lost.
- Broader West Antarctic Ice Sheet: approximately ~3 meters (about 10 feet) if a large-scale WAIS collapse unfolded.

These are not forecasts for this century in a simple, guaranteed sense. They are potential contributions under sustained warming and continued destabilization. The range of 21st-century sea-level rise projections depends strongly on future emissions and on how ice-sheet processes are represented in models.

The fossil-fuel connection: why Thwaites is not “just natural change”

Expeditions to Thwaites are motivated by physics, but the reason this physics now matters so urgently is human activity—particularly the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) that releases carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). These greenhouse gases trap heat in the climate system. Most of the excess heat goes into the oceans, not the atmosphere, and that ocean heat is precisely what threatens glaciers like Thwaites.

In other words, Thwaites is not merely a barometer of temperature. It is a barometer of energy imbalance—an imbalance caused primarily by greenhouse-gas increases from industrial activity, dominated historically by fossil-fuel combustion.

The causal chain, simplified but accurate, looks like this:

1) Fossil-fuel burning increases atmospheric CO2.
2) Increased CO2 strengthens the greenhouse effect, creating a net energy gain for Earth.
3) The ocean absorbs the majority of this excess heat.
4) Ocean circulation carries some of that heat toward Antarctica.
5) Warm water reaches ice shelves and grounding zones, increasing basal melting.
6) Ice shelves thin and weaken; grounded ice speeds up; sea level rises.

Multiple independent lines of evidence support this chain: direct atmospheric measurements of rising CO2, isotopic signatures linking CO2 increases to fossil carbon, satellite and ocean observations showing planetary heat uptake, and observed ice-sheet mass loss consistent with warming oceans and air.

Reference (NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory: atmospheric CO2 trends): https://gml.noaa.gov/ccgg/trends/
Reference (IPCC AR6: attribution of warming to human influence): https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/chapter/chapter-3/

What the expedition “purpose” really is: turning climate risk into measurable engineering-scale facts

The deeper purpose of Thwaites expeditions is to convert an abstract global issue—human-caused warming driven largely by fossil fuels—into concrete, measurable, local processes that can be modeled and, ultimately, planned for.

For coastal planners, insurers, infrastructure designers, and governments, the difference between (for example) 0.5 meters and 1.0 meter of sea-level rise by 2100 is enormous. It affects building codes, flood defenses, mortgage risk, port investments, and disaster response. Yet ice-sheet uncertainty remains one of the largest contributors to uncertainty in long-term sea-level projections. Thwaites is a major reason why.

So the expedition work is a form of risk reduction for society: it helps constrain how sensitive ice is to warming oceans, whether grounding lines can stabilize on ridges, how fracture mechanics might lead to rapid ice-shelf breakup, and how quickly inland ice responds.

This is also why fossil fuels are inseparable from the story. The faster humanity continues adding greenhouse gases, the more heat the ocean stores, and the more likely it becomes that Thwaites—and other vulnerable marine-terminating glaciers—cross thresholds that commit the planet to higher sea levels for centuries.

The Antarctic expedition environment: danger is part of the data

It is easy to talk about glaciers in terms of graphs and meters. But getting those numbers can be dangerous and difficult, and those difficulties shape the science.

- Remoteness and logistics: Thwaites is far from major research stations. Fuel, food, drilling equipment, and shelters must be flown or hauled in. Bad weather can ground aircraft for days.
- Extreme cold and wind: Instruments fail, batteries drain quickly, and exposed skin can freeze in minutes.
- Crevasses and unstable ice: The glacier is heavily fractured in places. Safe travel requires ground-penetrating radar, flagged routes, and constant vigilance.
- Operating at the grounding zone: This is a dynamic boundary of ice, ocean, and tide. Ice can flex, fracture, and calve. Working near an ice front or on a thinning shelf demands strict safety protocols.
- Ocean-ice operations: Deploying AUVs beneath an ice shelf adds technical risk; if an AUV is lost, it may be unrecoverable. Yet the data can be uniquely valuable.

These dangers are not adventure for its own sake. They are the price of observing processes that cannot be inferred reliably from space alone.

What Thwaites teaches us about choices—especially energy choices

Thwaites Glacier is not a morality tale; it is a physical system responding to energy added to the planet. But it is also a clear indicator that energy decisions—especially continued reliance on fossil fuels—carry long-lived consequences.

Even if emissions were reduced sharply, sea level will continue rising for a long time because oceans warm slowly and ice sheets respond over decades to centuries. That is precisely why the Thwaites expeditions matter now: they help determine how much rise is already “locked in,” how much can still be avoided, and what time windows exist for adaptation.

In practical terms, the expedition results support two complementary responses:

1) Mitigation: cutting greenhouse-gas emissions (including rapid reductions in fossil-fuel use) to limit further ocean warming and reduce the probability of triggering high-end ice-sheet outcomes.
2) Adaptation: preparing coasts for rising seas that are already underway, using improved projections that incorporate the best available ice and ocean physics.

The expedition to Thwaites Glacier is therefore a scientific mission with a societal purpose: to measure, as directly as possible, how human-caused warming is interacting with one of the planet’s most consequential ice systems—before its changes become too large, too fast, and too expensive to manage.

Why it matters

Thwaites Glacier, a vast outlet of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS), has become a focal point for modern climate science because it sits at the intersection of physical risk and human consequence. Often called the “Doomsday Glacier” in popular media, Thwaites is better understood scientifically as a uniquely vulnerable, high-leverage part of Earth’s cryosphere: its geometry, grounding-line setting, and exposure to warm ocean water make it capable of changing rapidly, with global sea-level implications. The expedition to Thwaites Glacier is therefore a scientific mission with a societal purpose: to measure, as directly as possible, how human-caused warming is interacting with one of the planet’s most consequential ice systems—before its changes become too large, too fast, and too expensive to manage.

Thwaites drains a large portion of the WAIS into the Amundsen Sea. If Thwaites were to lose enough ice to significantly reduce its buttressing or trigger sustained retreat, global mean sea level could rise by roughly half a meter from Thwaites alone, with the potential to destabilize neighboring basins and contribute to several meters over longer timescales. This is not a near-term certainty, but it is a plausible high-impact pathway that drives the urgency of measurement and modeling. Observations already show that Thwaites has been losing ice mass and its grounding line—the boundary where grounded ice begins floating—has been retreating in recent decades. Satellite altimetry, gravimetry, and interferometric radar have documented thinning, acceleration, and changing ice dynamics across the Amundsen Sea sector (see NASA’s overview of polar ice and sea level: https://climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/ice-sheets/).

The central scientific question motivating major field campaigns is how anthropogenic warming expresses itself at Thwaites in the coupled atmosphere–ocean–ice system. The most important warming influence may not be the air temperature at the glacier surface, but the delivery of relatively warm Circumpolar Deep Water onto the continental shelf and into the cavities beneath floating ice. When warm water circulates under ice shelves, it can melt them from below, thinning the shelf and reducing its ability to “buttress” the glacier behind it. That buttressing is a stabilizing force: it slows the seaward flow of grounded ice. Remove it, and the upstream glacier can accelerate, thin, and retreat. This is why direct observations beneath and in front of Thwaites matter: the key processes are often hidden under kilometers of ice or beneath persistent sea ice, where satellites provide incomplete constraints. Background on ice shelves and buttressing is summarized well by the British Antarctic Survey (https://www.bas.ac.uk/about/antarctica/ice-shelves/).

Field expeditions at Thwaites—such as those coordinated through the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration (ITGC)—are designed to measure the system “end-to-end,” from ocean circulation at the ice front to subglacial geology and internal deformation upstream. The ITGC is a partnership among U.S., U.K., and other institutions to conduct airborne, marine, and on-ice experiments in one of the most logistically challenging environments on Earth (https://thwaitesglacier.org/). Their work represents a shift in cryospheric science toward integrative, process-resolving observation: rather than inferring everything from remote sensing, teams drill through ice to instrument the ocean cavity, deploy autonomous underwater vehicles, install GPS and seismic stations, and map bed topography with radar.

Direct measurement is essential because Thwaites’ future depends on “threshold” behaviors that cannot be confidently diagnosed from surface observations alone. One such behavior is marine ice sheet instability (MISI), a dynamical feedback that can occur when a glacier rests on bedrock that deepens inland. In that configuration, retreat of the grounding line can expose thicker ice at the grounding zone, increasing ice flux and promoting further retreat. MISI is a theoretical and modeling framework, but its real-world relevance hinges on bed geometry, basal friction, and ocean-driven melting—parameters that must be measured as close to the grounding line as possible. A clear overview of these instability concepts is provided by the U.S. National Academies and related scientific syntheses; an accessible entry point is the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report Working Group I, which assesses ice-sheet contributions to sea-level rise and related uncertainties (https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/).

Another critical behavior is marine ice cliff instability (MICI), a proposed mechanism in which tall, unsupported ice cliffs may structurally fail, accelerating ice loss. Whether MICI will play a major role remains debated, but the very existence of plausible fast-change mechanisms increases the value of early, direct observation. The societal logic is straightforward: if the system is capable of nonlinear change, then waiting for unmistakable signals could mean discovering the worst-case trajectory only after it becomes difficult or impossible to alter outcomes. Sea-level rise, unlike many climate impacts, has built-in persistence. Even if emissions stopped tomorrow, oceans would continue warming and expanding, and ice sheets would continue responding for centuries. The scientific mission, therefore, is also a form of risk management.

Thwaites expeditions aim to reduce uncertainty by constraining the processes that govern ice loss: basal melt rates, ocean heat transport, grounding-line migration, ice-shelf fracture, and basal sliding over sediments or bedrock. For example, drilling through floating ice and lowering instruments into the ocean cavity can reveal temperature, salinity, currents, and turbulence—data that determine how much heat reaches the ice base and how efficiently it melts. Similarly, radar mapping of the bed and seismic surveys can identify sediment layers and water pathways that control friction at the ice–bed interface. These details matter because they set the “effective resistance” to flow; small changes in basal conditions can produce large dynamic responses. NASA’s Operation IceBridge and successor satellite missions demonstrate how airborne and satellite data complement field measurements, but also why in situ constraints remain irreplaceable for key boundary conditions (https://icebridge.gsfc.nasa.gov/).

The phrase “as directly as possible” captures a core scientific principle: prediction improves when models are anchored to physically meaningful measurements rather than to indirect proxies. Ice-sheet models are now sophisticated, but they still depend on parameterizations for sub-ice-shelf melt, calving, and basal friction—processes that are difficult to observe and therefore difficult to validate. Field data from Thwaites provide the calibration points needed to test whether models reproduce reality for the right reasons. That, in turn, improves projections of sea-level rise used by governments, insurers, and infrastructure planners. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) sea-level rise technical reports illustrate how projections translate into planning benchmarks for coastal communities (https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/hazards/sealevelrise/).

The societal purpose of the mission becomes clearest when translated into decisions. Coastal infrastructure—ports, wastewater plants, power stations, airports, stormwater systems—has long lifetimes and high replacement costs. Even modest changes in the upper tail of sea-level projections can shift the economics of adaptation: how high to build seawalls, where to allow development, whether to relocate critical facilities, and how to price flood risk. Better constraints on Thwaites do not “solve” sea-level rise, but they narrow the uncertainty bands that often paralyze decision-making or lead to costly over- or under-building. In practical terms, field science at Thwaites is upstream of building codes, bond ratings, zoning rules, and disaster preparedness—an unusually direct chain from Antarctic measurements to societal outcomes.

Finally, “before its changes become too large, too fast, and too expensive to manage” reflects the time sensitivity of both science and policy. Scientifically, certain transitions—such as ice-shelf collapse, rapid grounding-line retreat, or reorganization of subglacial drainage—can occur quickly and irreversibly at human timescales, erasing the opportunity to observe pre-transition conditions. Societally, delayed action increases exposure: more people and assets accumulate in low-lying regions, and adaptation costs rise as retrofits replace planned upgrades. Measuring Thwaites now is a form of anticipatory governance: it buys information while there is still time to incorporate it into emission pathways, adaptation strategies, and international risk planning.

In sum, the expedition to Thwaites Glacier is not exploration for exploration’s sake. It is targeted, hypothesis-driven, and urgently relevant: a coordinated attempt to observe a complex ice–ocean system at the point where human-caused warming can unlock outsized consequences. By measuring the processes that control stability—especially ocean-driven melting and grounding-line behavior—scientists can improve projections of sea-level rise, inform cost-effective coastal planning, and reduce the chances that society will be surprised by rapid change. That is the societal purpose of going to one of the hardest places on Earth: to turn uncertainty into actionable knowledge before the window for effective management disappears.

Questions

Expedition to the Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica.

• What is Thwaites Glacier, and why is it significant in the context of climate change? I'm curious about how its melting might impact global sea levels and ecosystems.  Gemini
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• What is Thwaites Glacier and why is it considered so important in the context of climate change? Understanding its role in global sea level rise can help us grasp the broader implications of melting ice in Antarctica.  Gemini
• How do scientists gather data from Thwaites Glacier during their expeditions? Learning about the tools and techniques used can inspire students interested in pursuing careers in environmental science or research.  Gemini
• How does Thwaites Glacier compare to other glaciers in Antarctica, like the Pine Island Glacier? Exploring these differences can reveal critical insights into the dynamics of ice sheets and their contributions to rising sea levels.  Gemini
• Why is it challenging for researchers to study Thwaites Glacier effectively? Identifying the obstacles they face can highlight the complexities of conducting scientific research in extreme environments.  Gemini
• What is the best way to raise awareness about the issues surrounding Thwaites Glacier among my peers? Engaging in discussions and using social media creatively can help spread the message about the importance of this unique glacial region.  Gemini

Journalists

• What is the significance of Thwaites Glacier in the context of global climate change? How does its potential collapse impact sea-level rise and coastal communities worldwide?  Gemini
• How do I effectively cover the complexities of the Thwaites Glacier expedition for my audience? What key aspects should I focus on to ensure my reporting is both informative and engaging?  Gemini
• How does the Thwaites Glacier compare to other glaciers in Antarctica in terms of size and melting rates? What unique challenges does its specific location present for scientists studying climate change?  Gemini
• Why is it challenging for researchers to gather data on Thwaites Glacier, and what obstacles do they face during expeditions? Are there particular technological advancements that could aid in overcoming these hurdles?  Gemini
• Is it true that the melting of Thwaites Glacier is irreversible, or is there still hope for mitigation? What are the implications of its state for future climate policies and environmental reporting?  Gemini

Nonprofit NGOs

• What is the significance of Thwaites Glacier in the context of global climate change, and how does its melting impact sea-level rise? Understanding this relationship is crucial for NGOs focused on environmental issues and policy advocacy.  Gemini
• How do I effectively communicate the urgency of Thwaites Glacier's situation to our stakeholders and donors? Crafting a compelling narrative can enhance engagement and support for our conservation initiatives.  Gemini
• What are the differences between the Thwaites Glacier expedition and other Antarctic research projects, and why should NGOs prioritize this specific mission? Comparing these efforts can help illuminate unique opportunities for collaboration and funding.  Gemini
• Why is it that current climate models struggle to predict the precise outcomes of Thwaites Glacier's collapse, and how can we address these uncertainties in our advocacy work? Identifying the gaps in research can help us better inform our strategies and policy recommendations.  Gemini
• What is the best way to leverage the findings from the Thwaites Glacier expedition to enhance our organization's fundraising campaigns? Utilizing cutting-edge research can resonate with potential donors and elevate our mission in the eyes of the public.  Gemini

Activists

• What is the significance of Thwaites Glacier in the context of climate change, and why should activists be concerned about its melting? Understanding the implications of its collapse could be crucial for our advocacy efforts and policy-making.  Gemini
• How do I effectively communicate the urgency of the Thwaites Glacier situation to my community and mobilize them for action? Crafting a compelling narrative that resonates with local stakeholders can amplify our impact significantly.  Gemini
• What are the differences in the advocacy approaches taken by organizations focusing on Thwaites Glacier compared to those addressing other climate crises? Comparing these strategies can help us refine our own tactics and better engage supporters.  Gemini
• Why is the scientific research on Thwaites Glacier not reaching more people, and what can we do to change that? Identifying barriers to communication could empower us to create more effective outreach campaigns.  Gemini
• What is the future of global sea levels if Thwaites Glacier continues to melt at its current rate, and how can we prepare for those changes? Exploring potential scenarios can guide our activism and help us advocate for proactive measures to protect vulnerable communities.  Gemini

Thought Leaders

• What is the current status of research being conducted at Thwaites Glacier, and how does it impact our understanding of global sea-level rise? I'm particularly interested in the methodologies used and the implications for climate policy.  Gemini
• How do the logistics of conducting an expedition to Thwaites Glacier differ from other remote locations in Antarctica? Understanding these differences could provide insights into the unique challenges and opportunities researchers face in this critical area.  Gemini
• In what ways does the melting of Thwaites Glacier compare to other significant glaciers around the world, like the Greenland Ice Sheet? Analyzing these comparisons could help reveal broader trends in glacial retreat and its effects on global ecosystems.  Gemini
• Why is it that some predictions about the timing and impact of Thwaites Glacier's collapse seem to be falling short? I'm eager to explore the scientific uncertainties and factors that might lead to these discrepancies in forecasts.  Gemini
• What is the best way to communicate the urgency of the situation at Thwaites Glacier to policymakers and the general public? Developing effective messaging strategies could enhance engagement and spur action on climate change initiatives.  Gemini

Teachers

• What is the significance of Thwaites Glacier in terms of global sea level rise, and how can I explain this concept to my students in an engaging way? Understanding the glacier's role can help students grasp the broader implications of climate change on our planet.  Gemini
• How do I incorporate the findings from the Thwaites Glacier expeditions into my science curriculum effectively? I want to create lessons that not only inform but also inspire my students to think critically about climate science and its impacts.  Gemini
• What are the differences between Thwaites Glacier and other glaciers around the world, such as those in Greenland? Comparing these glaciers can help my students better understand the unique challenges each one faces due to climate change.  Gemini
• Why is it important for scientists to study Thwaites Glacier, and what challenges do they encounter during their research? Exploring these questions can provide my students with insight into the complexities of scientific exploration in extreme environments.  Gemini
• What is the best way to engage my students in discussions about the future of Thwaites Glacier and its implications for coastal communities? I want to encourage them to think about solutions and their role in combating climate change.  Gemini

Cities

• What is the significance of Thwaites Glacier in the context of global climate change, and how does its melting impact cities around the world? Understanding the glacier's role can help urban residents grasp the urgent need for climate action.  Gemini
• How do I prepare for an expedition to Thwaites Glacier, and what essential gear should I consider bringing? Knowing what to pack for extreme conditions can make a significant difference in ensuring safety and comfort during such a challenging journey.  Gemini
• What are the differences between Thwaites Glacier and other glaciers in Antarctica when it comes to their rates of melting and contributions to sea level rise? Comparing these glaciers can provide insights into broader environmental trends that could directly affect coastal cities.  Gemini
• Why is the research on Thwaites Glacier not getting more attention, and what are the potential consequences of this oversight for urban populations? Recognizing the implications of underreporting can motivate citizens to advocate for more focus on this critical issue.  Gemini
• What is the best way for cities to prepare for the potential impacts of Thwaites Glacier melting, and what strategies can they implement to mitigate risks? Exploring proactive measures can empower urban planners and community members to safeguard their environments against future challenges.  Gemini

Governors

• What is the significance of Thwaites Glacier in the context of global sea level rise, and how could its potential collapse impact our coastal communities? Understanding these implications is crucial for us as governors to make informed decisions regarding climate resilience.  Gemini
• How do I effectively communicate the urgency of climate change, specifically relating to Thwaites Glacier, to my constituents? Engaging the public on this issue is essential for fostering support for necessary environmental policies and initiatives.  Gemini
• How does the rate of melting at Thwaites Glacier compare to other glaciers in Antarctica, and what does this tell us about the overall health of our planet? Analyzing these comparisons can help us prioritize funding and resources for climate adaptation strategies.  Gemini
• Why is it that some climate models may underestimate the speed of ice loss from Thwaites Glacier, and what are the consequences of these inaccuracies? Addressing this gap in understanding is vital for ensuring that we prepare adequately for future changes.  Gemini
• What is the best way to leverage our state’s resources and partnerships to support scientific research on Thwaites Glacier? Collaborating with researchers can enhance our state's role in the global conversation about climate change and its local impacts.  Gemini

Doctors

• What is the significance of studying Thwaites Glacier in relation to global sea level rise, and how can this knowledge impact public health in coastal communities? Understanding the glacier's dynamics may help us predict future climate-related health issues that could arise from rising sea levels.  Gemini
• How do I interpret the latest research findings from the Thwaites Glacier expedition, and what implications could they have for my patients' health? It’s essential to translate scientific data into actionable insights for healthcare professionals to better prepare for climate-related health challenges.  Gemini
• How does the melting of Thwaites Glacier compare to other major glaciers in Antarctica, and what unique risks do they pose? By understanding these differences, we can better assess potential health impacts in regions that may be affected by glacial melt.  Gemini
• Why is it important for doctors to stay informed about the changes happening at Thwaites Glacier, and what consequences might arise if we ignore this information? Ignorance of these changes could lead to unpreparedness for health crises linked to environmental shifts.  Gemini
• Is it true that the collapse of Thwaites Glacier could lead to irreversible changes in global weather patterns, and what evidence supports this claim? Exploring this question can help healthcare providers understand the broader implications of climate change on public health trends.  Gemini

Banks

• What is the significance of Thwaites Glacier in the context of global sea-level rise, and why should banks be concerned about its potential impacts on coastal assets? Understanding the glacier's behavior and contributions to ocean levels can help financial institutions mitigate risks associated with climate change.  Gemini
• How do I assess the financial implications of climate-related events, such as the melting of Thwaites Glacier, on my investment portfolio? By analyzing the risks that climate change poses to various sectors, banks can better prepare their strategies for future uncertainties.  Gemini
• How does the environmental impact of Thwaites Glacier melting compare to other major glaciers around the world, such as Greenland and the Antarctic Peninsula? This comparison can provide valuable insights for banks looking to understand the broader implications of climate change on global economies.  Gemini
• Why are current models predicting accelerated melting of Thwaites Glacier not yielding the expected results, and what does this mean for financial risk assessments? Investigating the discrepancies in these models can help banks refine their approaches to forecasting climate-related financial risks.  Gemini
• What is the best way for banks to incorporate findings from expeditions to Thwaites Glacier into their sustainability initiatives and investment strategies? By leveraging the latest research, financial institutions can create more resilient portfolios that align with climate-conscious values.  Gemini

Philanthropists

• What is the significance of Thwaites Glacier in the context of global climate change and rising sea levels? Understanding its role can help me better align my philanthropic efforts with impactful climate action initiatives.  Gemini
• How do I effectively support scientific research expeditions to Thwaites Glacier? I want to ensure my contributions make a tangible difference in understanding this critical area of climate science.  Gemini
• What are the differences between funding local Antarctic research initiatives versus supporting broader international efforts focused on Thwaites Glacier? Evaluating the impact of each approach can inform how I allocate my philanthropic resources.  Gemini
• Why is it that some climate models underestimate the potential melting of Thwaites Glacier? Identifying the gaps in these models can help me advocate for more accurate research funding.  Gemini
• What is the best way to engage my network of philanthropists in discussions about the future implications of Thwaites Glacier melting? I want to create a compelling narrative that encourages collective action towards climate resilience and adaptation.  Gemini

Antarctica’s Shrinking Sea Ice and Glaciers: A Growing Global Hazard

One Earth One Chance 

 www.oneearthonechance.com