Climate change is happening more rapidly than anyone thought possible, the German government's expert, Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, warned.

Scientists from NASA say that Greenland's ice cap is the smallest it has been in 15 years. But it's not seen as bad news by its 56,000 inhabitants: they expect to benefit from vast oil deposits beneath the ice and from the longer crop-growing season.

NASA satellite data shows more than two trillion tons of ice have melted in Greenland, Antarctica and Alaska since 2003.

This will be interesting. Greenland, one of the biggest separate land masses on Earth, has voted for self rule, which is autonomy, not actual independence. The vote comes at a time when the Arctic is being considered a new frontier for resources.

Around 15,000 people gathered to watch a beautiful total eclipse shroud parts of Siberia in complete darkness today. The eclipse passed last over China.