Antarctica has likely set a new record for the lowest annual maximum sea ice extent on the continent, beating the previous low by a million square kilometers. The new mark is the latest in a series of records for the continent's sea ice as scientists worry that global warming could push the region into a new era of ice loss with far-reaching consequences for the world's climate and sea levels. Every September, Antarctic sea ice reaches its maximum extent. The average between 1981 and 2010 was 18.71 square kilometers. However, the US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) said that preliminary analysis indicated that sea ice reached a maximum of 16.96 sq km on September 10 and has declined since then. The 2023 maximum was 1.75 m 2 km below the long-term average and about 1 m 2 km below the previous record low maximum set in 1986. (Graham Readfearn).