How is this under-ice robot mapping Antarctica’s glacial futures?

In a small yellow tent next to Erebus Glacier Tongue in Antarctica, four scientists sit in front of multiple monitors. One is piloting Icefin, a multimillion-dollar robot beneath the glacier, with a PlayStation controller. “It’s like Erebus was the tutorial and Thwaites is the boss fight. Europa, well, that might be in the expansion pack,” NOVA’s Arlo Perez muses in this 2020 PBS Terra video. Perez and Caitlin Saks co-host the video, republished by NOVA in 2026. From the video caption: “Icefin is testing technologies designed for exploring Jupiter’s icy moon Europa. But before its successors go into space, this robot has a serious job on Earth: taking measurements from under a glacier so researchers like astrobiologist Britney Schmidt can better understand how climate change is affecting Antarctica’s vulnerable ice… “Then, Britney, her team, and Icefin head to the Florida-sized Thwaites Glacier on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.” Since this video was created, Icefin has explored Thwaites on multiple underwater missions, allowing scientists to gather data and changes over time. This 2026 New Scientist report shares sobering but actionable data, mapping how warm ocean water and deep tidal currents continue to melt its underside. According to climate models, if we continue to rely on fossil fuels without significant climate action, this melting could trigger rapid, self-sustaining ice loss over the next century. If we transition away from fossil fuels through a wartime-level mobilization to decarbonize and sustainably conserve with natural climate solutions, we can extend that stability timeline to over 500 years. That 400-year difference gives coastal towns, island nations, and low-lying cities vital time to adapt and plan. By measuring these unseen ocean dynamics at the grounding line—the boundary where ice, rock, and ocean meet—polar researchers are giving planners, scientists, and policymakers the data needed to protect both vulnerable coastlines and the climate systems we all rely on. Check out these handpicked videos next: • Testing a Space Rover Under Alaskan Ice • Europa Clipper: NASA’s quest to explore Jupiter’s ocean moon • What did we find hidden under Antarctica? • Building a Volcano-bot | How She Works • MIT CSAIL’s robotic fish can independently swim with real fish We promise: No spam! Unsubscribe anytime.