Drilling Through the Thwaites Glacier for Clues to Its Melting

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 4 min read 100% complete by Raymond ZhongJanuary 30, 2026 at 06:59 PM

AI Summary

medium article 4 min

A team of British and South Korean researchers began drilling through the Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica on Wednesday, January 30, 2026, to study the warm ocean currents melting it from below. The team is using a hot water drill to bore a hole through the half-mile-thick ice. Scientists are concerned that the melting of Thwaites Glacier could lead to significant sea-level rise. The project aims to collect data from the waters beneath the glacier's floating end, which are inaccessible to oceangoing robots. Researchers are installing instruments in the hole to monitor the conditions and better understand the melting process.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

South Korea 40% UK 40% Chang W. Lee ×350% Peter Davis 60% British Antarctic Survey 70% Keith Makinson 70% Antarctica ×280% Thwaites Glacier ×695%

Keywords

thwaites glacier 100% melting ice 80% drilling 70% antarctica 70% hot water drilling 60% sea-level rise 60% ocean currents 60% research 50% instruments 40%