Emperor penguins face an uncertain future under global heating with 30% of penguin colonies in Antarctica having been impacted by the loss of sea ice since 2018. New research has revealed that the catastrophic breeding failure in late 2022 was a result of sea ice breaking up under the feet of the penguins, threatening young chicks that have not yet grown their waterproof feathers. As the chicks’ plumage becomes waterlogged they die of exposure, and it is estimated that as many as 7,000 may have perished. This is without precedent, as it is the first time that multiple colonies had failed in a single season. The emperor penguin may be at a greater risk that previously feared, with projections that by 2100 about 90% of colonies could be so small that they are essentially extinct. Read more about this story on The Guardian.