Researchers studying East Antarctica have found that the continental ice sheet reaches a thickness of nearly two miles [1].

This discovery alters the scientific understanding of the region's geological composition and the scale of the ice mass. Understanding the depth of the ice is critical for modeling global sea-level rise and studying the ancient tectonic forces that shaped the southern hemisphere.

The measurements were reported in 2024 [1]. The exceptionally thick ice is located within a fan-shaped basin province in East Antarctica [1]. Scientists said that millions of years of tectonic activity and continuous ice accumulation created this massive cover [2, 3].

The sheer volume of the ice sheet has hidden significant geological features from view. Researchers have discovered 85 hidden subglacial lakes beneath the ice [4]. These lakes provide a window into the environment at the base of the ice sheet, an area otherwise inaccessible to direct observation.

While the thickness of the ice remains a primary focus, the mass of the sheet continues to fluctuate. Despite overall warming trends, Antarctica has gained ice since 2020 [3]. Data shows an annual ice mass gain of 68 gigatons per year [3].

The presence of such deep ice is linked to the breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana hundreds of millions of years ago [2]. This ancient geological event set the stage for the current climatic conditions and the eventual accumulation of the ice sheets that now define the continent.

“Antarctic ice reaches nearly 2 miles thickness, far thicker than most people imagine.”

The discovery of ice reaching 3.2 kilometers in depth underscores the complexity of Antarctica's role in the global climate system. The combination of extreme thickness and the presence of numerous subglacial lakes suggests that the interaction between the ice sheet and the underlying bedrock is more dynamic than previously thought. This geological stability, rooted in the breakup of Gondwana, provides a critical baseline for scientists measuring how current warming trends affect the world's largest reservoir of fresh water.