So the new ice is thinner first year ice... Maybe a new trend? One thing I can't help think about is how does anyone, scientist or laymen, know if any of these 'trends' are really bad for the Earth as a whole? Heck, this retreating of the ice might be a great thing for the Earth. Maybe it's 'saving' the Earth for all we know. It could be just as likely that if we could stop the ice packs from melting then we would be hurting a natural cycle. We should concentrate on slowing the poluting of the Earth. There is no doubt that it is a bad thing.... I know we could use some better filters on the coal fired smoke stacks around my area. If they could do that there would be much cleaner air and way less fine particulate polution.