Satellite observations from 1994 to 2012 reveal an accelerating decline in Antarctica's massive floating ice shelves, with some shrinking by 18 percent, in a development that could hasten the rise in global sea levels, scientists say, according to scientists published in the journal Science.

Antarctica may have experienced its warmest day ever recorded on Tuesday, with the temperature reading of 63.5°F, reports The Weather Underground.

Tuesday's record high temperature follows another high reading of 63.3°F set just the day before. Until this week's heat wave, the highest-known recorded temperature on the continent was 62.6°F back in 1976.

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The Antarctic Peninsula where the readings were made "is one of the fastest warming spots on Earth," reports The Weather Undergound. The website cites studies from 2012 that show the world is warming at a quickening pace.

Five nations and territories have tied or hit all-time high temperature records so far this year.

Weather Underground is owned by Weather Channel, which like CNBC is a unit of NBC Universal.

Read the full story here, at the Weather Underground site.