THE world’s biggest iceberg is almost as tall as The Shard skyscraper, scientists have discovered.
Satellite images of the “megaberg”, officially named A23a, show it has a depth of 920ft (280m).
Cover ImagesA group of British scientists have filmed the world’s largest iceberg, A23a, after it began to move again following almost four decades stuck to the ocean floor[/caption]
AlamyThe ‘megaberg’ is almost as tall as The Shard skyscraper in London[/caption]
London’s tallest building is 1,016ft (310m).
The iceberg has a known surface area of 1,500 square miles — more than double the size of Greater London.
And it weighs in at just under one trillion tons.
It broke off from the Antarctic coast in 1986 and had been grounded ever since.
But last month it began drifting north and is now moving at a rate of 30 miles per day.
Researchers believe it is reaching the critical point of its journey where fast streams and strong winds could force it down ‘iceberg alley’ towards South Georgia.
The monster frost mass, carved like a tooth out of the Filchner Ice Shelf, had been grounded for three decades before it started coasting away in November.
Andrew Meijers, of the British Antarctic Survey, encountered it last week while on board the RRS Sir David Attenborough.
He said: “It is amazing to see this huge berg in person — it stretches as far as the eye can see.”