NASA Earth on Instagram: "Arctic sea ice this year tied for the 10th lowest on record, @nasa and @nsidcnews report. Sea ice—or frozen seawater—forms and melts directly in the ocean and is different from icebergs or glaciers, which come from land-based ice. Every year around September, Arctic sea ice reaches its minimum extent. This year, sea ice reached its yearly minimum extent of 1.78 million square miles on Sept. 10, tying with 2008 as the 10th-lowest on record. #earth #NASA #ice #seaice #sci

Explaining Nature on Instagram: "Polar bears are large carnivorous mammals that live in the Arctic, mainly on sea ice. They are powerful swimmers and depend heavily on ice to hunt seals, which make up most of their diet. Adapted to the cold, they have thick fur, a layer of fat called blubber, and black skin that absorbs heat from the sun. Polar bears are considered vulnerable due to climate change, as melting sea ice is reducing their hunting grounds and threatening their survival. • #reels #exp