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Glacier collapses combine the large volumes of glacier surges and the mobility of iceavalanches. The rapid detachment of large portions of a low-angle glacier is a rare process,and has first been documented in detail for the 130×106 m3 avalanche released from theKolka Glacier in the Russian Caucasus in 2002, an event that was until recently consideredglobally unique. In 2016 however, two similar giant glacier collapses, 68×106 m3and 83×106 m3 in volume, occurred from two neighboring glaciers in the Arurange on the Tibetan Plateau, rising critical questions about the causes of thesedetachments, and the potential for similar events to occur elsewhere. In particular the twinAru events have raised the awareness for the possibility for such massive glacierdetachments, and led to the (re-) discovery and reporting of several potentiallycomparable events worldwide. The Aru events have also contributed to modulate andadvance the understanding of glacier stability, and of processes involved in a rangeof glacier dynamic instabilities – such as the substrate and the thermal regime atthe glacier base. In this contribution, we review and compare a number of glaciercollapses and glacier-dynamic instability events in order to discuss potentially commoncauses. We also discuss the potential role of climatic changes in the occurrence ofglacier collapses and the consequences for hazard monitoring and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]