Ancient Antarctic Volcano May Be Linked to Warming

The discovery of what scientists are hailing as the first evidence of a volcanic eruption under Antarctica’s massive ice sheet may be linked to climate change, the BBC reports. British researchers, who discovered evidence of a volcano by analyzing radar data from an air survey, believe the eruption likely happened some 2,000 years ago and ripped through its ice ceiling, spouting steam and rocky debris into the air.

“We believe this was the biggest eruption in Antarctica during the last 10,000 years,” said the lead researcher. Scientists suspect the volcano may still be active, generating enough heat to melt ice and contribute to higher sea levels. But one researcher cautioned that the volcano doesn’t explain widespread glacier melt. He conceded, however, that the discovery "complicates things." (More western Antarctic ice sheet stories.)