troopsjoin the search for survivors of the devastating tornadoes with 100 people are missing in kentucky alone. scientists are warning of dramatic changes at one of the biggest glaciers in antarctica, potentially within the next five to 10 years. they warn a floating section at the front of thwaites glacier, that until now has been relatively stable, could soon shatter like a car windscreen. researchers in the uk and us are currently studying the rapid melting rate. it s already dumping 50 billion tonnes of ice into the ocean each year. let s bring in the bbc s science correspondent jonathan amos, who joins us now from new orelans where the drastic assessment was made. thank you forjoining us. how do scientists come to this dramatic conclusion? well, this is one of the dramatic conclusion? well, this is one of the glaciers dramatic conclusion? well, this is one of the glaciers they - dramatic conclusion? well, this is one of the glaciers they are l is one of the glaciers they a
so this is a story about now, it is also a story about the future, what is happening about the warming climate we have on planet earth. you say it is a keystone glacier, so much focus on the impact of this one glacier, is enormous as it is, what impact could it make on the height of the ocean if it melted? yeah, there is enough ice, i mean, if you think about an area that is the size of florida and great britain, there is enough ice in this one drainage basin to raise global sea levels, from this one glacier, to raise global sea levels by 65 centimetres, which is a huge amount. of course, were that glacier to crumble away, it would probably bring the rest of western antarctica into play, so there is much at stake for this particular glacier, and because it s that keystone, if it could unplug that side of antarctica,
from sex at the white house to a trial for his political life the lewinsky affair tonight guaranteed bill clinton his place in history, as only the second president ever to be impeached. this is bbc world news. the latest headlines: a $380 million settlement is agreed for the victims of the former us national gymnastics team doctor larry nassar. hundreds of us national guard troopsjoin the search for survivors of the devastating tornadoes with 100 people missing in kentucky alone. scientists are warning of dramatic changes at one of the biggest glaciers in antarctica in the next five to 10 years. they re calling it the doomsday glacier . scientists warn a floating section at the front
britain, there is enough ice in this one drainage basin to raise global sea levels, from this one glazier, to raise global sea levels by 65 centimetres, which is a huge amount. of course, were that glazier to crumble away, it would probably bring the rest of western antarctica into play, so there is much at stake for this particular glacier, and because it is that keystone, if it could unplug that side of antarctica, that is the glacier being most studied now by leading researchers in the us and the uk. lots of what i m describing is centuries away. you know, don t expect thwaites to crumble away before next week or the month after. but we are
western region of the antarctic, it is an area called the monzon see amundsen sea, and it is melting rapidly, all the glaciers in that area. this is a particularly big one. thwaites is the size of great britain or florida, if you can imagine a glacier that big. it is speeding up, it is something evermore ice into the ocean, so it is a keystone glacier, it is a glacier scientists are watching because they are worried about the future. if antarctica puts more and more ice into the ocean it will raise sea levels, so this is one of the glacier clinic they are watching, because it is so big and because it is moving so fast. they have in throwing everything out it, these last few years. they are in the middle of a big research programme, the us and the united kingdom, they are