New findings published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences have revealed that two of the most important Antarctic glaciers are breaking away. The findings, which follow analyses of satellite imagery, indicate that a natural buffer that prevents the glaciers from breaking away is deteriorating at a rapid rate and could lead to destructive sea level rise. The two Antarctic glaciers in question, Pine Island and Thwaites, are located along the coast of the Amundsen Sea in West Antarctica.