Arctic sea ice is not only sparser, but also younger and thinner than ever before, according to a report by the US National Snow and Ice Data Center. The report states that first-year ice, which is usually only 5 to 6.5 feet thick, now accounts for 70% of the Arctic’s ice pack, compared to 40% in the 1980s. The oldest ice, which has remained intact for at least five years, is at a record low for the satellite era and accounts for only 3% of the total ice. The report also notes that ice no longer survives in the Arctic for very long, a big change from the past when much of the ice cover would survive upwards of a decade.