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Video: North Pole Could Be Ice Free in 2008 |
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Contributed by J. R. Ransom
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 North Pole According to new data from the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), the North Pole could become ice-free this summer because of a record low in ice formation. The good news: Its ice expanded at a greater rate this winter than it did in 2007, and there is the possibility that a milder, more cyclonic atmospheric pattern this summer could help preserve it.
The odds certainly aren't stacked in favor of the North Pole retaining its slivers of ice. Indeed, many scientists are expecting that the region, which will likely become ice-free within the next few months, could become a new hub for shipping activities and tourism. Or, as the NSIDC's Mark Serreze puts it: "The set-up for this summer is disturbing."
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