(Video) Rajya Sabha TV (RSTV) In Depth: Melting Antarctica

Topic: Melting Antarctica

Topic Description:

The Antarctic region has registered its highest-ever temperature on record as mercury soared over 20 degrees Celsius earlier this week.

Researchers logged 20.75 degrees Celsius on an island off the coast of the continent on 9th February - a record high temperature never seen before in the region.

The latest reading follows another temperature record logged on 6 February, when an Argentinian research station at Esperanza had measured 18.3 degrees Celsius - the highest reading on mainland Antarctica.

The previous record for the entire Antarctic region - which includes the continent, islands and ocean that are in the Antarctic climatic zone - was 19.8C, logged in January 1982.

Although the new temperature reading was not part of a wider study, scientists warn it is enough to indicate how fast Antarctica is warming.