New island unexpectedly emerges in the middle of Alaska, NASA sounds the alarm.

NASA has discovered a 5.18km² landmass in Alaska that was once covered in ice but has now emerged as an isolated island in Lake Alsek. Remarkably, the formation of this new island occurred in just one month.

Satellite imagery from NASA shows the emergence of the new island between 1984 and 2025 - Photo: NASA

Experts warn that this is clear evidence of the rapid rate of ice melting in the Arctic region, and the dramatic changes to the ecosystem caused by climate change.

41 years of landscape transformation: from white ice to green islands.

This topographical change was identified by comparing NASA's Landsat satellite imagery, taken at two different times: July 1984 and August 2025. The data shows that the ice sheet that was once connected to Prow Knob Mountain has completely detached, turning the area into a veritable island.

Remarkably, the formation of the new island took place in less than a month: from July 13th to August 6th this year, when high summer temperatures accelerated a record rate of ice melting.

Newsweek quoted NASA experts warning that this phenomenon is part of a worrying trend: glaciers in southeastern Alaska are melting rapidly. As the millennia-old ice melts, the accumulated water creates large lakes, completely altering the region's topography.

Mauri Pelto, a researcher at Nichols University and a member of NASA's Earth Observatory's scientific advisory board, said: "At the beginning of the 20th century, the Alsek Glacier extended as far as Gateway Knob, about 4.8 km west of Prow Knob. By the middle of the century, although the ice had retreated eastward, it still covered the area around Prow Knob. Now, this ice cover has almost completely disappeared."

Satellite data analysis shows that Lake Alsek has increased in area from 44 km² in 1984 to 75 km² in 2025. Furthermore, neighboring glacial meltwater lakes such as Harlequin and Grand Plateau are expanding at a similar rate.

The total area of ​​the three lakes has doubled in just 41 years, reflecting an unprecedented rate of melting in the region's history. As the ice disappears, the darker surface of the rocks beneath absorbs more heat, causing the melting process to accelerate further, creating an uncontrollable "warming spiral."

Warning signs from climate change

The formation of new islands in Alaska is not only a fascinating geological event, but also a warning sign about the rate of global warming. As ice sheets break apart and become less stable, they are more prone to crumbling and melting more quickly, causing lake levels to rise and altering river flows in the region.

Experts predict this trend will continue to accelerate in the coming years if global average temperatures are not controlled. This will not only affect Alaska but also impact global sea levels, biodiversity, marine ecosystems, and the entire Earth's climate.

The melting ice in Alaska is just a small part of the larger picture of global climate change. From Greenland to Antarctica, from the Himalayas to the Andes, glaciers are melting at record rates, posing unprecedented challenges for humanity in protecting its environment.

As NASA puts it, "every meter of ice lost today is a reminder that the Earth is changing faster than we realize."

Back to the topic

MINH HAI

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/dao-moi-bat-ngo-troi-len-giua-alaska-nasa-bao-dong-20250909100653794.htm