---
title: "Watch a Las Vegas-Sized Iceberg Break Off Antarctica"
description: "The European Space Agency releaed a troubling time-lapse video showing a gigantic iceberg splitting off of Antarctica and drifting away."
date: "2020-02-13"
modified: "2020-02-13"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/vegas-iceberg-break-antarctica"
categories:
  - "Climate Change"
  - "Environment"
  - "Science & Energy"
tags:
  - "climate change"
  - "environment"
  - "glacier"
  - "the digest"
---

# Watch a Las Vegas-Sized Iceberg Break Off Antarctica

![The European Space Agency releaed a troubling time-lapse video showing a gigantic iceberg splitting off of Antarctica and drifting away.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/las-vegas-sized-iceberg-break-off-antarctica.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: ESA\</em\>*

## SOME PIG!

Since 2017, an iceberg the size of Las Vegas has been slowly cracking and breaking off the massive Pine Island Glacier, on the [coast of Antarctica](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/antarctica-high-res-map>).

The European Space Agency (ESA) has kept satellite cameras trained on the iceberg — dubbed PIG — since then, *[Inverse ](<https://www.inverse.com/science/time-lapse-video-captures-massive-iceberg-breaking-off-glacier-antarctica>)*[reports](<https://www.inverse.com/science/time-lapse-video-captures-massive-iceberg-breaking-off-glacier-antarctica>), and now the space agency [released a time-lapse video](<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maaZ6pZkDfY&feature=emb_title>) of the ongoing split. It's a disturbing video, especially when considering how rapidly the glacier fractured compared to past splits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maaZ6pZkDfY&feature=emb_title

## Gen P

In the video, PIG is seen splitting into even smaller icebergs as it floats away from the rest of the glacier. The ESA is referring to those mini-icebergs as piglets, according to *Inverse*.

Scientists used to spot cracks like that of PIG splitting off every four to six years, *Inverse* reports. But now, thanks to [worsening climate change](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/scientists-discover-ancient-viruses-inside-glacier>), similar fractures are appearing almost every year.

## Rising Tide

Most dire is what will happen if PIG continues to melt as the planet heats up. Together with its twin iceberg Thwaites, *Inverse* reports that PIG contains enough ice to raise [global sea levels](<https://futurism.com/sea-levels-rising-different-rates>) by four feet, a change that would lead to catastrophe.

**READ MORE:** [TIME-LAPSE VIDEO CAPTURES MASSIVE ICEBERG BREAKING OFF GLACIER IN ANTARCTICA](<https://www.inverse.com/science/time-lapse-video-captures-massive-iceberg-breaking-off-glacier-antarctica>) \[*Inverse*\]

**More on Antarctica:** *[Radioactive Dust From an Ancient Supernova Is Buried in Antarctica](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/radioactive-dust-supernova-antarctica>)*

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)