99% of Alaska's Glaciers Are Melting

Most of Alaska's glaciers are retreating or thinning or both, a new book by the U.S. Geological Survey reports. About 5 percent of Alaska's area is covered by more than 100,000 glaciers — that's about 29,000 square miles (75,000 square kilometers), or more than the entire state of West Virginia. While a few of Alaska's large glaciers are advancing, 99 percent are retreating, the book, "Glaciers in Alaska," states. The book was written by USGS research geologist Bruce Molina. A USGS project to photograph the glaciers of Montana's Glacier National Park also showed significant retreat. Based on these photos and glacier recession rates, scientists predicted the park could lose its namesakes by 2030. Greenland, which is covered by more ice than anywhere else in the world outside Antarctica, has also seen significant melt of its... [read full story]