Sea ice in the Arctic Ocean is melting rapidly, shrinking to its second-lowest level on record, new satellite measurements show. The National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colorado said Wednesday that the extent of sea ice in the Arctic is has fallen to 5.26 million square kilometers. The lowest point on record was 4.27 million square kilometers set last September. However, with about three weeks left in the melting season, last year's record may be broken, scientists say. Arctic ice always melts in summer and refreezes in winter, but over the years, more of the ice is lost to the sea and not recovered in winter. The phenomenon is important because the Arctic acts to cool global temperatures.
