An iceberg the size of Chicago broke off am Antarctic ice shelf to reveal a thriving ecosystem underneath, according to researchers.

In January 2025, researchers on the Schmidt Ocean Institute's R/V Falkor (too) had to divert their plans after an iceberg roughly the size of Chicago broke away from the George VI Ice Shelf, a floating glacier that had been attached to the Antarctic Peninsula ice sheet.

Researchers took advantage of a rare chance to explore a new expanse of seafloor exposed by the breakup of an Antarctic ice shelf.