A new projection suggests that the Arctic Ocean could experience its first ice-free day as early as summer 2027, with some models predicting it could happen within the next three years under certain conditions. Researchers conducted over 300 computer simulations to project when this first ice-free day might occur. The melting of Arctic ice has serious implications for sea level rise and for the Arctic's role as a regulator of Earth's climate, with the potential for an ice-free Arctic to occur more frequently in the coming years. A drastic reduction in emissions could delay the timeline for an ice-free Arctic and reduce the time the ocean remains ice-free.