Scientists at the University of Texas in the US say East Antarctica's ice started to melt faster from 2006. This could cause sea levels to rise sooner than anticipated.

The scientists published their study in Nature's Geoscience journal. They estimate that East Antarctica has been losing ice mass at an average rate of 5 to 109 gigatons a year from April 2002 to January 2009. But the rate speeded up from 2006. If confirmed, this could indicate a state of change which could have a large impact on global sea levels.

Climate change is turning Antarctica's ice into a major threat. Even slight melting could drive up sea levels, putting coastal populations in danger.

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