The yin-yang of polar sea ice

It comes as no surprise, therefore, when researchers announce as they did this past September that Arctic sea ice extent is still below normal, continuing a years-long downward trend, covering less and less of the north polar seas with a frozen crust. On the heels of that announcement, came another, a little more puzzling.  While Arctic sea ice was melting, Antarctic sea ice was at an all-time high.  In 2014, sea ice surrounding Antarctica covered more of the southern oceans than it has since