Archive · 20 Jan 2026
World's Largest Iceberg A23a Nearing Disappearance
There's a big iceberg named A23a that broke off from Antarctica a long time ago, in 1986.
It was once the biggest iceberg in the world, even bigger than New York City.
It got stuck in the ocean floor for many years, but then it started moving again.
It was heading towards an island called South Georgia, but it broke apart before it could reach there.
Now, it's in warmer waters and is melting fast.
Scientists took pictures of it and saw that it's turning into a blue mushy mess, which means it's almost gone.
This is happening because the ice is getting weaker and water is making it break apart.
Soon, this big iceberg will disappear forever.
Iceberg A23a, once the world's largest, is rapidly melting in the Atlantic Ocean.
It broke off from Antarctica's Filchner-Ronne Ice Sheet in 1986 and was stuck until 2020.
A23a threatened to crash into South Georgia in 2025 but broke apart before impact.
NASA images show it has reduced to one-third of its original size, with blue melt ponds forming.
The 'blue mush' and grooves indicate the iceberg is nearing the end of its lifespan.
- Who
- NASA and climate scientists
- What
- Iceberg A23a is melting and breaking apart
- When
- December 2024
- Where
- Atlantic Ocean, near South Georgia
- Why
- Warmer waters and natural processes
- Iceberg Name
- A23a
- Origin
- Filchner-Ronne Ice Sheet, Antarctica
- Initial Size
- Three times larger than New York City
- Year of Calving
- 1986
- Current Status
- Melting in Atlantic Ocean
- Threatened Island
- South Georgia
- Current Size
- One-third of original size
- Blue Mush
- Melt ponds forming on surface
