Antarctic sea ice shrinks to lowest annual maximum level on record, data shows

Scientists fear global heating may have shifted region into new era of disappearing ice with far-reaching consequences

Antarctica has likely broken a new record for the lowest annual maximum amount of sea ice around the continent, beating the previous low by a million square kilometres.

The new mark is the latest in a string of records for the continent’s sea ice, as scientists fear global heating could have shifted the region into a new era of disappearing ice with far reaching consequences for the world’s climate and sea levels.