An Antarctic Ice Shelf is a floating platform of ice that forms where a glacier or ice flows down to the ocean. These ice shelves are found along the coast of Antarctica and can vary in size, with some being hundreds of miles long. They play a crucial role in stabilizing the glaciers behind them, preventing them from flowing too quickly into the sea. As the climate warms, Antarctic ice shelves are becoming increasingly vulnerable. Melting and breaking off of these ice shelves can lead to rising sea levels, which can impact coastal communities worldwide. Scientists closely monitor these changes to understand their effects on the global climate and ocean systems.