Retreating Ice and Glacial Change
In Retreating Ice and Glacial Change, geologist Iain Stewart explains that the Columbia glacier in Alaska is moving quickly; it has retreated almost 9 miles (14 kilometers) since 1980. But this glacier is not the only one that is melting and changing as the planet warms. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Earth: The Power of the Planet, a documentary series in which Dr. Iain Stewart discovers how Earth's forces can shape nature, species, and even the climate.
Lesson Express
Q: What is happening to the Columbia glacier?
A: It is melting at a rate 30 times faster than before; the ice has retreated nearly 9 miles (14 kilometers) since 1980.
Q: What is happening to glaciers all around the world?
A: They are melting and the ice is retreating.
Q: What surprised you while watching this video?
A: Student responses will vary. Students may mention they are surprised at how fast the ice is melting, or at how the ice melts from a glacier.
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