East Antarctica ice shelf collapse, the first in human history for that region, worries scientists

An ice shelf the size of New York City has collapsed in East Antarctica, an area long thought to be stable and not hit much by climate change, concerned scientists say.

The collapse, captured by satellite images, marked the first time in human history that the frigid region had an ice shelf collapse. It happened at the beginning of a freakish warm spell last week when temperatures soared more than 70 degrees warmer than normal in some parts of East Antarctica.

Satellite photos show the area shrinking rapidly the last couple of years, and now scientists wonder if they've been overestimating East Antarctica's stability and resistance to the global warming that's been melting ice rapidly on the smaller western side and the vulnerable peninsula.