claim: Antarctic sea-ice extent is increasing to record levels. Antarctica is getting colder; its sea ice and ice cap are not melting
evidence: Despite a period of slight growth between 1979 and 2014, Antarctic sea ice cover is not increasing to record levels. The trend reversed in 2014 and ice cover started to decrease vigorously. Many long-term measurements from Antarctic research stations show no significant warming or cooling trends over the whole continent, but parts of the continent are among the regions experiencing the fastest warming in the world, and the ice cap is losing mass. Cherry-picking Antarctic sea-ice extent reached a record high in 2014, but that was not the sign of a long term trend of expansion since a precipitous decline followed, with the sea ice extent reaching its lowest value in 40 years. [...] Former climatologist Judith Curry, who called into question the fact that humans are the dominant cause of recent climate change in Congressional Testimony, first claims that "Antarctica sea ice extent is increasing to record levels". Sea ice extent refers to the cumulative area of all ocean surfaces where water is covered with ice. On the other hand, the terms ice cap and ice sheet refer to ice covering terrain such as land or bedrock. In order to understand the trends in sea ice extent, scientists study its area in February and September, respectively the periods in which the ice cover retreats and peaks.