00:00Something terrifying is happening at the bottom of the world,
00:03and it could change life on Earth forever.
00:05Scientists now believe the rapid loss of Antarctic sea ice
00:09may be a climate tipping point.
00:11It's not just melting ice. It's a chain reaction.
00:14Less ice means more sunlight absorbed by the ocean,
00:17which means warmer water.
00:18That warmer water then melts even more ice.
00:21This isn't slow and steady.
00:23It's abrupt, unpredictable, and possibly irreversible.
00:26And it's not just about sea levels rising.
00:29Ocean currents that regulate global weather could weaken.
00:32Entire food chains are collapsing.
00:34Krill, the base of the Antarctic food web, are vanishing.
00:37Emperor penguins can't breed without sea ice.
00:40And the tiny phytoplankton that suck carbon from the air?
00:43They're dying off.
00:45This could be the point of no return.
00:47Even if we cut carbon emissions now,
00:49some damage may already be locked in.
00:51The Antarctic isn't just melting.
00:53It's warning us. And the clock is ticking.
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