Left: February ice age distribution in the Arctic during normal conditions (1985-2000 average). Right: February 2008 Arctic ice age distribution. The ice in the Arctic is much younger than normal, with vast regions now covered by first-year ice (ice that has formed since last summer’s melt) and much less area covered by multiyear ice (ice that has survived at least one melt season). Ice that is 6 years old or older shows an even more dramatic decrease in 2008 compared to average conditions. Credit: NSIDC, Courtesy S. Drobot, University of Colorado, Boulder