This undated handout photo provided by NASA shows the Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica. Two new studies indicate that part of the huge West Antarctic ice sheet is starting a slow collapse in an unstoppable way. Alarmed scientists say that means even more rises in sea level than they figured. Photo: AP Photo/NASA/MCT

A huge group of glaciers in Antarctica is melting.

There is no way to stop it, scientists say. But a complete meltdown could be delayed. That could give scientists time to protect people from rising sea levels.

Scientists thought the glaciers in the West Antarctic Ice Sheet would last for thousands of years. But new studies discovered they are melting. And it's happening quicker than scientists thought.

The glaciers are huge islands of ice. As ocean water warms, so do the glaciers. The warmer water has several causes. One of them is global warming. Global warming happens when people burn fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are fuels from the Earth, like coal, oil and gas. These fuels heat up the Earth.

Melting Ice Affects Us In Many Ways

"There is no red button to stop this," said Eric Rignot. He is an expert on glaciers. He also wrote one of the studies.

The glaciers have passed "the point of no return," Rignot said. That means the big melt can't be stopped. "The only question is how fast it's going to go."

Antarctica is around the South Pole. It has the largest amount of ice on the planet. The ice contains most of the world's fresh water. If you loaded all Antarctica's ice on ships and started counting them, it would take 860 years.

The loss of even part of that ice would be felt across the planet. It could cause ocean levels to rise 4 feet. Rising oceans could cause big problems for people such as flooding and big storms. But that could take 200 years. Or, it could take 1,000 years, says Ian Joughin. He is a scientist who also studies glaciers.

What Can We Do About It?

He said the glaciers' disappearance would begin slowly. It would grow faster over time.

"Eventually, this could lead to the" end of ice across Antarctica, Rignot said.

There's no stopping the big melt, scientists say. But people shouldn't just give up.

The quicker the Earth heats up, the quicker glaciers will melt. But the opposite is also true.

Slow down global warming and you slow the melting. Think of the technology invented in the last 800 years, Joughin said. And think of what scientists can invent in the next 800 years to protect people.

"Eight hundred years is a long time," Joughin said.