Frank Taylor over at Google Earth Blog points to a new animation by The National Snow and Ice Data Center that maps the melting of the Arctic ice cap between September, 1979, and September, 2007. Screen shots I took of the animation in Google Earth of September, 1979, and September, 2007 (click on the images for full resolution):

September, 1979	September, 2007

The animation shows that since 1979 there has never been a time when there has been less ice in the Arctic cap.