Antarctic ice hole the size of Switzerland continues to burst. Now scientists finally know why.

Scientists have finally discovered what causes a Switzerland-sized hole to repeatedly form in Antarctica’s sea ice.

Researchers first discovered the hole, the Maud Rise polynya, in 1974 and 1976 in Antarctica’s Weddell Sea, and since then it has resurfaced fleetingly and sporadically – in different sizes but in the same spot, and sometimes not at all for years. This left scientists confused about the exact conditions required for the hole to form.

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