New Delhi, July 11 -- As the planet warms, Earth's ice masses are vanishing at an alarming rate. This rapid thaw is not only raising sea levels but also reactivating ancient and modern microorganisms, some of which could alter ecosystems and intensify the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a new United Nations report warned.

The Frontiers 2025: The Weight of Time report released by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) on July 10, 2025 warned that the cryosphere - the planet's frozen regions - is at the frontline of climate change. The impacts of a 2 degrees Celsius (degrees C) rise in global temperatures would include irreversible sea-level rise and the dramatic loss of glaciers, sea ice and permafrost, the report states.

The cryo...