Following last week’s article about Antarctica, a recent study has linked a world-record heatwave there to climate change. In March 2022 temperatures in an area of east Antarctica, known as ‘Dome C’, reached -10°C, 39°C above normal. It was the most intense heatwave ever recorded on the planet. The study identified a ‘highly unusual’ weather pattern that brought warm and moist air from Australia, intensifying the heatwave. Climate change made the heatwave 2°C worse. This event raises concerns that climate change is impacting Antarctica, which was once considered relatively shielded. Scientists say that these heatwaves, which occur naturally to some extent, will become even hotter due to climate change. They have also warned of rising sea levels and the potential for Antarctica to stop acting as a refrigerant for the planet and start ‘acting as a radiator’. The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Geophysical Research Letters.