Collapsing ice cliffs may not contribute to sea level rise

A new study questions a controversial hypothesis suggesting such rapid crumbling could occur

a photo of the Stange ice shelf

STEEP SHELF  Relatively warm deep waters are eating away at Antarctica’s ice shelves, such as the Stange ice shelf in West Antarctica (shown).

Mark Brandon 

Sea level rise over the next century won’t get a feared boost from Antarctic ice cliffs crumbling into the ocean like dominoes, a new study suggests.