evidence: Antarctic sea ice waxes and wanes with the seasons, and is at its annual minimum in late summer. [...] In February 2023, Antarctic sea ice extent broke the record minimum, set only a year earlier in February 2022. At the time of writing, sea ice may not have yet reached its minimum for 2024, but it’s already the third-lowest sea ice summer on record. [...] Variability of Antarctic sea ice is high, making it challenging to place the current low sea ice conditions into context. The satellite observational record only began in November 1978, so it’s difficult to disentangle decadal variations in sea ice with long-term climate change.