Major news today coming from the Arctic passage. This summer’s record breaking ice melt has unlocked the northwest passage more completely than ever before.

Senior Scientist Mark Serezze at the US National Snow and Ice Data Center calls the situation unprecedented. And although the shipping route has periodically opened up since 1988, the passage is almost completely clear – the first time such an expanse has been seen since route monitoring began in 1972.

Scientists are predicting that next summer’s melt season will start with significantly reduced permanent ice and that by 2030, the entire polar region, including the north pole could witness a total summer melt.