"A catastrophic collapse of the Arctic sea ice could lead to radical climate changes in the northern hemisphere according to scientists who warn that the rapid melting is at a "tipping point" beyond which it may not recover. The scientists attribute the loss of some 38,000 square miles of sea ice - an area the size of Alaska - to rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as well as to natural variability in Arctic ice."

"Natural variability", including solar radiation and ocean temperature, is sufficient to explain the observed melting. An increased CO2 level in the atmosphere is historically a result of warmer ocean temperatures -- but not the cause of the warming.

The big news is that Alaska has shrunk by almost 95% from 656,424 down to a mere 38,000 square miles! Forget global warming -- what about this clear evidence of global shrinking ?!

See: U.K. Independent article (2007-03-16)