First direct evidence of rapid melting of glaciers at the end of the last ice age, around 8,000 years ago, has been found in Antarctica. Ice cap thinned by 450 meters in just 200 years.
Discovery indicates that a similar scenario could recur in the coming years, but at a more accelerated pace, due to the global increase in temperatures. Antarctica's ice sheets are estimated to contain enough water to raise global sea levels by around 57 metres, however, it is still unclear when and how quickly the ice might melt.