Antarctic sea ice, the “earth’s protective umbrella,” is melting away. 　　According to the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Research Center, the Antarctic sea ice area this winter reached its peak on September 10, reaching 16.96 million square kilometers. This number sets a record for the peak Antarctic winter sea ice area since satellite observation data began to be available in 1979, and is 1.03 million square kilometers less than the historical low in 1986. 　　Compared with the same time point in 2022, the sea ice area has shrunk by more than 1.5 million square kilometers, which is equivalent to the size of Australia’s Northern Territory. 　　In this regard, Walter…