04 - The Shape of Ice

Why is glacier ice sometimes a brilliant blue? Where does a glacier flow the fastest? And why are some of Antarctica’s largest glaciers so vulnerable to climate change? In this episode, we set out on an imaginary hike from a glacier’s terminus into its high accumulation zone, stopping along the way to answer these questions. As we go, we discover that the geometry of ice controls far more than its appearance. Shape controls how glaciers flow, how large they become, and how they respond to a changing climate.