NASA Satellites Capture Newly Formed Island off Alaska Due to Glacier Retreat

New satellite images from NASA have revealed the birth of a new island off the coast of Alaska, created after the retreat of a melting glacier separated a small mountain from the mainland.

Data from NASA’s Landsat satellite documented this geological event, showing that the retreat of the Elsik Glacier led to the separation of “Bruhn Knob,” now standing as a new island. 

Comparative imagery with older records from July 5, 1984, shows the glacier has shrunk by more than 5 kilometers. 

The retreat carved out a vast lake surrounding the island, which spans roughly 5 square kilometers.

Researchers estimate the island formed sometime between July 13 and August 6, 2025.

They emphasized that the event reflects the accelerating pace of glacier melt in southeast Alaska, a real consequence of global warming.

Scientists warn that continued ice loss could trigger major ecological and hydrological shifts in the region. 

They caution that the likelihood of massive ice fractures breaking off into nearby lakes is growing, raising serious concerns about the long-term stability of coastal ecosystems in the Arctic.