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Life After the Ice

The collapse of Antarctic ice shelves has given marine scientists a chance to view a previously hidden world. Last week, researchers from the Census of Antarctic Marine Life announced the discovery of 30 new species.

"The most striking was the sea cucumber. It was about eight inches long," says biologist Gauthier Chapelle, of the International Polar Foundation. "We called it 'piggy,' because its mouth looked a lot like a pig's snout."

Environmentalists believe that global warming is responsible for the breakup of the shelves, which are massive blocks of ice that cling to Antarctica. Their collapse has opened up a hole about the size of Jamaica, and has allowed scientists to observe animals that normally live in extremely deep water. "The conditions under the ice shelf mimic deep-sea conditions," says Chapelle.

He adds that the recent discoveries point to the need for more exploration. "This shows just how much remains to be done," he says. To read more about efforts to study the North and South Poles, see "A Time to Explore," on page 5.

Next: A Time to Explore