Laser eyes spy a big melt in the arctic

Scientists from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration didn't pull any punches when they released the latest Arctic Report Card in early December. In 2012, levels of snow cover and sea ice were both at record lows, while surface melting of the massive Greenland ice sheet increased, despite temperatures in the region that were "unremarkable relative to the last decade." In short, the Arctic seems to be deteriorating faster than scientists thought it would.