Scientists Brace For Gigantic Iceberg Collision In Antarctica

[hatrack]

CANBERRA, Australia — "Scientists were watching on Monday for a collision between a giant iceberg and an Antarctic glacier, which could free up sea lanes to America's McMurdo Station and help penguins reach crucial feeding areas.

The iceberg B15-A, which is about 100 miles (160 kilometres) long and contains enough drinking water to supply the world for several months, was once part of the major B15 iceberg which broke off the Ross Ice Shelf on the edge of Antarctica five years ago. B15-A has been drifting slowly towards the floating end of a glacier known as the Drygalski Glacier Tongue for several months and scientists now believe a collision is likely.

"It seems highly likely, given how this thing has jiggled around for the past four years," Australian Antarctic scientist Neal Young told Reuters. The United States-based National Science Foundation (NSF) had predicted the collision would occur before Christmas, while the space agency NASA suggested the crash would happen by Jan. 15.

But Young, from the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystem Cooperative Research Centre, on Monday said the iceberg was still about three miles from the Drygalski Glacier Tongue and was moving about one mile a day. He said while a collision was likely, it might not happen as storms and sea currents could change the iceberg's course."

EDIT

http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=6945

[On the Road]

1. I Hope Someone Has a Camera Rolling

That collision ought to make one of those Fox specials. Or at least merit a show on the Discovery channel.