Greenland is writhing as eons of ice accumulation and steady melting cause its foundations to change shape. This deformation, according to researchers, could have a profound effect on the future of navigating the surrounding region in an increasingly ice-free world.

Led by the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), an international team of scientists analyzed 20 years of GPS readings , tracking 58 specific points across Greenland's territory. The data shows that as the landmass shifts northwest by about 2 centimeters (0.79 inches) per year, it is expanding in some places and contracting in others.

"Overall, this means Greenland is becoming slightly smaller, but that could change in the future with the accelerating melt we're seeing now," says geophysicist Danjal Longfors Berg, from D

See Full Page