It shouldn't really come as a surprise, as scientists have been predicting it for 15 years now, but the Western Antarctic Wilkins ice shelf has just dropped a load of ice the size of Liechtenstein into the ocean. Scientists have been watching the ice shelf start to lose its integrity (not unlike our politicians) over the past month.

This one chunk of ice -- which according to scientists shattered like a piece of glass -- was one of the few sections of ice keeping the Wilkins ice sheet safely intact. Evidently, it's now only holding on by a thread, albeit a giant thread made of ice ... being held over an open flame of warm ocean waters.

The Antarctic you may remember is in the southern hemisphere, so while we are finally getting to experience an early spring up north, winter and its freezing temperatures are around the bend in the Antarctic. So start placing your bets now as to when the whole thing just gives up.

As it is, the ice breaking off Western Antarctica, no matter how big, isn't going to raise sea levels because this ice is actually floating on the ocean and not on land. Think of it like an ice cube melting in a glass of water -- it's not going to change the water level in the glass.

But the ice melting from glaciers in the Alps or Greenland is the equivalent of dropping an ice cube into the glass -- higher water level and lots of mess. As if that wasn't enough science for you, consider this: As the white ice, which reflects sunlight, breaks apart and melts it exposes dark ocean water, that absorbs the suns rays and heat up. The warmer ocean water melts the ice floating atop it, which reduces the amount of white ice to reflect the sun's rays, and so on, and is known as the albedo effect.

Aside from Greenland's ice falling into the Atlantic, the real threat of sea level rise is that when water warms it expands. So as we lose ice and gain warming seas ... well, we don't have to spell it out for you. We just think now might be a good time to unload your properties on the Outer Banks and in the Hamptons.

Click here for our list of "10 Things Smaller Than The Wilkins Ice Shelf."