Temperature records from the nearest weather station (San Martin - 400kms away) show no evidence of unusual temperatures since a warm summer in 2003 - both land and sea temperatures have been around average since then. What we are seeing here is a normal phenomenon involving a relatively small amount of ice - if global warming was causing this there would be many more ice shelves collapsing in Antarctica than the isolated incident we are seeing.

John Charlton, Auckland, New Zealand

i think that global warming is not just effecting the us but africa to. i am living in south africa and the thunderstorms are becoming more violent than ever, seasons aren't the same as it use to be. southe africa aren't use to having tornadoes but the last 10 years one could see the increased number of tornadoes that devoloped and what worries me is that our weather service don't know much about them and neither does the public.

things like the ice shelf that is breaking off should send a warning to ALL THE COUNTRIES to keep the public aware of the dangers of global warming like, drought, flooding, snow falls, tornadoes ect.

why don't the WORLD as a whole stand together and they should launch a WORLD WIDE tv programs about all the weather situations that can and will devolpe becouse of global warming.

please let the rest of the public in on all the weather hzards that may be a result of global warming because not all of the public are aware or should i say really into it.

carin, johannesburg, south africa

I find the press commentary on the calving of a slice of the Wilkins Ice Shelf a trifle exaggerated.

Currently, the sea ice off Antarctica totals about 4 million square kms, as against about 2.5 million sq kms this time last year. Last year ended up having the largest sea ice cover since satellite measurements began in 1979.

I don’t think 400 odd sq kms really counts when there is about 1.5 million sq kms of extra ice around.

Doug Lavers, Melbourne, Australia

From everything I have read it would only take the good ole USA to elect a new President and the threat of global warming would cease. What a bunch of morons.

Shut your car off. Quit driving 100+ miles everyday. This would solve your "Kyoto" because all that is for is to lower green house gases. Hum is that burnt fuel?

Quit pooring concrete and covering up the EARTH. Then maybe your problem might just get slowed down.

Warmer than normal temps for Jan. not here more snow than ever but that was probably caused by global WARMING. The warming earth caused more snow. Snow is frozen for those of you that don't know.

Greg, Kentland, USA

why do people take a short look at things mother earth can take care of herself and has for millions of years we are but fleas on her back, we live on her bounty but when she wants to get rid of us we are gone. Heat or cold, flood or snow, earth quake or volcano. how stupid are we that we think we can control something as massive as our living planet when we cannt even control our own lifes. Global warming freaks get over yourselfs and try to do something meaningful with your lifes besides trying to upset everyone else.......... as for me i am going to enjoy the sun and the snow for the few more years i have left on this beauiful planet.................

Portzilla, St Louia, usa

My Say... I'm 58 years old & can say from my time on earth that I have observed various changes in weather patterns where I live in the Potomac Highlands of West Virginia.
Not only has the fall & winter (Oct-Mar) snowfall decreased substantially over the years (most marked change, along w / lower temps), the fall months have warmed dramatically, seemingly to have acquired the characteristics that the spring months used to have & vice versa--the spring months feel like the fall months once did (cold but wet, with the exception of no snowfall).
Just a few of my memories of weather patterns. I have lots more!! I also hear climate change isn't real! OK
BUT...It never fails to amaze me how the 'human' race always creates havoc & has no desire or inclination to make things right until disaster or a tragedy is the result. Then w/the utmost enthusiasm, amends are sought. Little late don't you think? A lot of bearing in the old saying "that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

Marlene Durnin, Franklin, West Virginia

It's amazing (and so sad) to see that the majority of comments are from people who have chosen to believe that climate change is a fallacy concocted by money hungry scientists and power-tripping green politicians (along with their fiendish friend the tooth-fairy), and jumping on the three day easter cold snap as proof climate change isn't happening. Sorry Mike Mitchell, but February was still 1.5 to 2.5 C warmer than average, and January was the 4th warmest on record since 1914.

Scientists aren't researching climate change for the money, if they were after cash they would go be geo-consultants for exxon-mobil. Because that's the whole thing, admitting climate change is real and taking the drastic steps to deal with it would mean exactly that, not doing it for the money. Something other than financial and material gain would have to come first and that terrifies most people.

That which sustains us must be sustained, there is no economy without ecology.

Amy, London, UK

It's true, the earth will turn into an oven by next tuesday and its all your fault! Much like we used to think we were the centre of the universe, we now imagine we can control the weather. Plastic bags may not be the answer I fear.

Agnes Nostic, London,

Of the few intelligent comments I like Mark Davis of Townsville Queensland best. For the rest, the ostrich comments are underwhelming. Seems that hanging downunder feeds the brain with more blood.

David Klein, Bendigo, Australia

To Julia in DC: I'm an American and I agree that George is a terrible president, but why are you ashamed? Are you ashamed to be an American, or ashamed that Geo. Bush refused to sign "Kyoto", or just generally like to apologise to the rest of the world for being alive in America. You should feel good that even with all our problems, we are never more than one election away from a chance to turn it around. Are you registered to vote?

Doyle, sanford, north carolina

If Greenland really had been green 1000 years ago then sea-levels would have been 7m higher and we would have had a record of it. So obviously it was not.

KevinV, Reading, UK

The breaking off of an iceberg is not a problem in itself. The problem is that the breaking off causes more ice that sits on the continent to flow out into the sea, and that amount exceeds the amount that is accumulating due to snowfall.

I think this imbalance is what is happening right now.

Yosuke, Berkeley, California

It is always more dramatic to see an ice shelf break away in a day than to watch most of the rest of the year when it snows on the antartic and adds to the ice sheet.

It is only natural that the ice shelf spreads out under its own weight, what matters is how much is being added from snow as well as what breaks off. As we (as casual readers) don't know what is going in and going out I suggest we take all of these stories with a pinch of salt

Matt, Cardiff,

As every British schoolboy knows (or knew, prior to New Labour's edewkayshun policies), the Sahara desert was once savana and most of Britain was entombed beneath mile-deep glaciers. Even Mars was warm and wet.

Scientists, in search of fame and budget increases, suddenly discover that climates change. Well, duh!

Whilst politicians might spot an opportunity to slap on some 'green' taxes to help save the planet (read: fund their pensions and pay for bombs to drop on Iraqis), to blame a trend that started before the dawn of written history - and which occurs on neighbouring planets - on Ford Mondeos and people-carriers is stretching credulity a little too far.

Mike, Brighton Marina, England

The strange thing about the Antarctic peninsular is that it so cold anyway. It sticks a thousand miles out into the South Atlantic and most of it is not even within the Antarctic Circle.At comparable latitudes in the north -east atlantic it would be inhabited.Surely this might suggest that just possibly the temperature rises might have something to do with changes in ocean current circulation in the South Atlantic especially as the main mass of Antarctica is getting colder.Sadly we rarely get much balance when these matters are reported in the media these days.

Edward Welsh, Lampeter, Wales

Global warming? Then explain this report which originated in the US:

"NEW evidence has cast doubt on claims that the world’s ice-caps are melting, it emerged last night. Satellite data shows that concerns over the levels of sea ice may have been premature. It was feared that the polar caps were vanishing because of the effects of global warming. But figures from the respected US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show that almost all the “lost” ice has come back. Ice levels which had shrunk from 13million sq km in January 2007 to just four million in October, are almost back to their original levels. Figures show that there is nearly a third more ice in Antarctica than is usual for the time of year. The data flies in the face of many current thinkers and will be seized on by climate change sceptics who deny that the world is undergoing global warming. […] Central and southern China, the USA and Canada were hit hard by snowstorms. "

Al Webb, Croughton, Northamptonshire

Would someone please inform the world that an active volcano lies beneath the Antarctic ice.

Simeon, Windsor, Canada

So we lost a 160 square miles of ice in the antartic. If you look to the Artic you will see new ice growth of over 2 million square kilometres this past year. Water monito devices which float throughout the world year round at depths of forty or more, have not detected the most minimal rise in heat, in fact the opposite is true with a noted decline in temperature. Why can we not have rational debates on this subject, with information on the table for all to see, rather than let the left wing loonies hijack this issue for political agendas (ie:funding money, population control)and stop running around like chicken little. If you go to NASA websites you will not find anything to prove Global Warming.

p.s. Since when did the left become the voice of the people and reason? Last time I checked communism had very little to do with the comon man and everthing to do with power.

Robert Geurts, Winnipeg, Canada

Why do the media report such trivial occurrences and automatically attribute it to global warming? Where is the story about Antarctica's ice mass increasing significantly in recent years? When will real investigating journalism once again rear its head and not just reprint misleading articles. I doubt this will comment will ever see the light of day.

Max Kulow, Jyvaskyla, Finland

I don't suppose it's at all possible that this might be a good thing? As in Antarctica warming up a bit?

Who knows, a virtually 'new' continent that over time becomes more inhabitable... could be an exciting development.

Might not need all those icebreakers.

gb, Austin, USA

This is really worrisome and provides proof of the existence of climate change. Some skeptics will probably go on saying that none of this relates to climate change, but I think it really does.
Unless we, once and for all, become aware of the threat global warming poses to us, we won´t make it on time to save our planet.

David, Barcelona, Spain

To quote ICECAP (http://icecap.us/index.php):

"The full Wilkins 6,000 square mile ice shelf is just 0.39% of the current ice sheet (just 0.1% of the extent last September). Only a small portion of it between 1/10th-1/20th of Wilkins has separated so far, like an icicle falling off a snow and ice covered house. And this winter is coming on quickly. In fact the ice is returning so fast, it is running an amazing 60% ahead (4.0 vs 2.5 million square km extent) of last year when it set a new record. The ice extent is already approaching the second highest level for extent since the measurements began by satellite in 1979 and just a few days into the Southern Hemisphere winter and 6 months ahead of the peak. Wilkins like all the others that temporarily broke up will refreeze soon. We are very likely going to exceed last year’s record. Yet the world is left with the false impression Antarctica’s ice sheet is also starting to disappear."

Paul, Munich, Germany

This shows the local warming of the Antarctic peninsula – the place where most scientists are based - and not the warming of the Antarctic per – the place where most scientists are based - and not the warming of the Antarctic per se, which is cooling. Poor science and pretty pictures for political effect; business as usual for those promoting the anthropogenic global warming fiction.

Dave, Coimbra, Portugal

It is amazing that the planet has lasted as long as it has on its own - please note - within the last 700 years the planet has been significantly warmer than it is at the moment and it wasn't flooded - higher temperatures did not lead to a tipping point( look at the 1420's temperatures and then the beginning of the little ice age)
- the point always avoided when global warming is blamed for everything is - that if humans are responsible and destabilised the co2 causing warming (remember that humans produce 3-4% of global co2) is that if co2 concerntrations are so unstable then adhering to kyoto or as foe want a 80% reduction in co2 production is pointless because every gm of co2 produced now adds to the overall levels and IT IS TOO late - even if all co2 production is stopped today it will take centuries to return to "normal" and each and every breath will all take will put that day further away

Steve, Brighton,

Next step will be the multinational oil companies buying exploration acreage and drilling exploration wells. ROACE is more important to shareholders and investors than sheets of ice, that have no economic value.

gmac, Kassel, Germany

here we go again. no doubt much more money is now needed for BAS. It is the first time anything like this has been seen. not surprising as mankind has only been down there for a hundred years. How long has this planet been adjusting its temperatures?

mike gee, bournemouth, uk

I thought that Greenland was so named in reference to the coastal strip only .. and to entice Viking settlement.

Was it really a 'green' land 1,000 years ago ?

I also did not know that the iceberd that the Titanic bumped into was THAT big.. makes you wonder where 'we' get our information from

Mike, Bedford, England

So despite Britain having just experienced the coldest Easter for 25 years, the climate change "lobby" is still banging on about their hobby horse. Surprise, surprise. I wonder how many thousands of air miles have been squandered to travel to international meetings on climate change. Just a thought.

Mike Mitchell, Spalding, England

I'm not sure but wasn't the iceberg the Titanic hit a little smaller than 5,600 miles square?

henry blince, torquay, UK

We could consider that Global Warming is a myth - organised by green politicians! There are seasonal trends that last hundreds of years. A few hundred years ago, Greenland was named Greenland for a reason - it was so green! Now it is a frozen wasteland but perhaps it is returning to becoming green again!

Charles Magee, Preston, United Kingdom

This is probably the first time ever that an iceberg has broken away, right? I wonder what it was that the Titanic bumped into??

Ged Pall, Orlando,

Reading this story elsewhere on the internet makes me question their research. They claimed a chunk the size of the Isle of Man broke away during febuary. I didn't know my island was only 25.5 miles by 1.5 miles.

ManxMan, Isle of Man, IOM

Man has always walked on the razor’s edge. Rarely has he had the chance to choose better than between the lesser of two evils, or the sense to do so but at the last moment when the noose is already drawing blood from his neck and his feet begin to taste the air. Now he’s hoping that having chosen between what he selfishly and short-sightedly sees as the economic disaster resulting from tweaking down his industry and population, and what he keeps denying is an ecological one, he’s still waiting for that rope to tighten just one more turn and he’s still doggedly hoping that he will have just enough breath left to slip away from this one. Let’s all do give it up for daredevil mankind.

eugene, heidelberg, germany

Hey, whudda you know..... Al Gore WAS RIGHT!!!

Obama in '08

Nate Crateau, Salem, Oregon

Another day of destruction for the planet. Another embarrassment for this American because the present President will not act or even acknowledge the problems from global warming exists . Not to say that other countries are not to blame, e.g. China and India, but as an American, I'm ashamed.

Julia Perkins, Washington, DC, USA

From the break-up of the Larsen we know that once the sea ice goes it is like the cork on a Champaign bottle and the glacial ice is then able to flow more freely. Sea level rise maybe sooner than we all realise!

Mark Davis, Townsville, Queensland

good day
can you send me more picture of this any updated pic's. With all the eruptions of volcano's does that have any effext one gobla warming at all.

Jeff Sparvier, shilo, Canada