NEWS STORY: Pass the panda for Earth Hour
28 March, 2014
BAS staff support WWF’s Earth Hour with cuddly friend! This Saturday, 29 March, is WWF’s Earth Hour. Earth Hour aims to focus the world’s attention on the planet and the …
Category: Antarctica
NEWS STORY: Understanding how ecosystems function
18 March, 2014
Lessons from a remote Antarctic island on the vulnerability of ecosystems Scientists have carried out new research that could change the way we think about the vulnerability of ecosystems. Published …
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NEWS STORY: Crucial conditions for phytoplankton
16 March, 2014
Winter conditions crucial for phytoplankton growth in Southern Ocean An international team of researchers, including the British Antarctic Survey, has found new evidence that winter conditions in the Southern Ocean …
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NEWS STORY: Halley VI wins two awards
12 March, 2014
British Antarctic Survey’s Halley Research Station scoops two 2014 Civic Trust Awards British Antarctic Survey’s Halley Research Station received a 2014 Civic Trust Award and a Civic Trust Special Award …
NEWS STORY: Volcanoes helped life survive ice ages
10 March, 2014
New research suggests that life survived past ice ages with the help of volcanoes. An international collaboration, including scientists from the British Antarctic Survey, has found new evidence that the …
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PRESS RELEASE: Glacier’s thinning charted
20 February, 2014
Previous rapid thinning of Pine Island Glacier sheds light on future Antarctic ice loss New research, published this week in Science, suggests that the largest single contributor to global sea …
NEWS STORY: First phase of glacier mission ends
10 February, 2014
First leg of Antarctic iSTAR mission accomplished A team of British scientists has returned from a gruelling 1500km journey across the ice of West Antarctica after successfully completing the first …
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NEWS STORY: Airborne geophysics in the Antarctic
27 January, 2014
In this month’s International Innovation journal Dr Fausto Ferraccioli discusses how airborne geophysics can be used to uncover the geology of Antarctica and explore some of the Earth’s final frontiers. …
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NEWS STORY: UK leading scientists listed
16 January, 2014
A list published this week by the Science Council features British Antarctic Survey Director, Professor Jane Francis as one of 100 UK leading practising scientists The list is the result …
NEWS STORY: Giant trench under Antarctic Ice
15 January, 2014
What lies beneath – scientists discover giant trench under Antarctic Ice A massive ancient subglacial trough — deeper than the Grand Canyon — has been discovered by a team of …
NEWS STORY: Glacier thinning at point of no return
14 January, 2014
Focus on Pine Island Glacier, Antarctica Pine Island Glacier, on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) is the largest single contributor to sea-level rise in Antarctica. The stability of the …
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NEWS STORY: New Year’s Honour
9 January, 2014
New Year’s Honour for BAS Head of Operations John Hall, Head of Operations and Logistics (OPAL) at BAS, was among those named in the New Year’s Honours List. He was …
PRESS RELEASE: Antarctic emperor penguins
8 January, 2014
Antarctic emperor penguins may be adapting to warmer temperatures A new study of four Antarctic emperor penguin colonies suggest that unexpected breeding behaviour may be a sign that the birds …
PRESS RELEASE: Pine Island Glacier and climatic variability
2 January, 2014
Pine Island Glacier sensitive to climatic variability A new study published in Science this month suggests the thinning of Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica is much more susceptible to …
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NEWS STORY: Christmas at the stations
25 December, 2013
Celebrating Christmas in Antarctica Being at the height of the Antarctic Summer the Christmas period was a very busy time at the bases and although it was not as eagerly …
NEWS STORY: Greetings from Antarctica
24 December, 2013
Christmas messages from Antarctic staff Many British Antarctic Survey scientists and support staff will be spending this Christmas thousands of miles from home on the frozen continent. BAS has five …
NEWS STORY: New research on ocean currents
22 December, 2013
New research sheds light on history of polar current Research conducted by a team that included scientists from British Antarctic Survey reveals the ocean current moving around the South Pole …
NEWS STORY: Staff head into deep Antarctica
20 December, 2013
British Antarctic Survey field season is underway On the eve of the centenary year of Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance Expedition the ship which bears his name is playing a crucial role …
NEWS STORY: Mapping Antarctica’s last frontier
13 December, 2013
Mapping of remote Antarctic frontier will help model its reaction to climate change and unlock secrets of Earth’s ancient supercontinents. For the first time scientists have begun mapping one of …
NEWS STORY: World’s coldest place identified
12 December, 2013
Scientists working at the United States National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) said this week they have identified the coldest place on Earth using satellite observations of surface temperature. …
NEWS STORY: Climate change effects on shellfish
9 December, 2013
BAS takes the lead in ambitious science programme to aid fishing industry and monitor effects of climate change on Europe’s shellfish The supply of shellfish we buy at the supermarket …
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NEWS STORY: Climate records from ice cores
5 December, 2013
New ice core record shows climate variability in West Antarctica A 308-year ice core record provides new data on climate variability in coastal West Antarctica and shows that a clear …
NEWS STORY: Scientists contribute to oral history
3 December, 2013
Voices of Science: a new British Library oral history archive A major oral history project to gather the life stories of British scientists has culminated in the launch of a …
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NEWS STORY: New marine species identified
3 December, 2013
New species recovered from Amundsen Sea More than thirty new, and, as yet unclassified, species of marine life were discovered during a science expedition to the Amundsen Sea off Pine …
NEWS STORY: Marking Antarctica Day
27 November, 2013
Antarctica Day was inaugurated in 2010 to celebrate the 1st December 1959 signature of the Antarctic Treaty, which was adopted “with the interests of science and the progress of all …
NEWS STORY: Earthquakes strike Scotia Sea
18 November, 2013
Series of large earthquakes in Scotia Sea close to South Orkney Islands A series of earthquakes has been detected in the Scotia Sea region close to the British Antarctic Survey’s …
NEWS STORY: “Stripes” hinder ice flow
8 November, 2013
Tiger stripes’ under Antarctic glacier slow the flow Narrow stripes of dirt and rock beneath massive Antarctic glaciers create friction zones that slow the flow of ice toward the sea, …
NEWS STORY: Book prize for Halley doctor
4 November, 2013
Former BAS doctor wins prestigious book prize A GP who wrote a book about his time working as the British Antarctic Survey’s doctor at the Halley V research station has …
NEWS STORY: Fishing limits to be discussed at meeting
23 October, 2013
CCAMLR underway in Hobart The annual gathering of international Antarctic scientists and policy makers is under way at Hobart in Australia. Twenty-five delegations from around the world have arrived in …
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NEWS STORY: Ice Lab exhibition in Manchester
17 October, 2013
Ice Lab: New Architecture and Science in Antarctica 21 October 2013 – 6 January 2014, 11am – 5pm Free entry Museum of Science & Industry, Liverpool Road, Castlefield, Manchester M3 …
NEWS STORY: Antarctic experts gather in Australia
16 October, 2013
World’s Antarctic marine experts converge on Hobart Hobart’s annual gathering of international Antarctic scientists and policy makers is underway. Twenty-five flags flying outside the offices of the Commission for the …
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NEWS STORY: Construction award for Halley VI
10 October, 2013
British Antarctic Survey’s Halley Research Station wins British Construction Industry Award 2013 British Antarctic Survey’s Halley Research Station won a prestigious British Construction Industry (BCI) International Award at a ceremony …
NEWS STORY: Award for innovative map
3 October, 2013
Map makers rewarded for stunning recreation of Antarctic without ice A colourful British Antarctic Survey map has won a coveted award. The map, created by the institution’s MAGIC (Mapping and …
NEWS STORY: Closing event for Ice Lab in Glasgow
24 September, 2013
Exciting closing event for Ice Lab exhibition, Gallery Two, The Lighthouse, Glasgow Commissioned by the British Council and curated by the Arts Catalyst, Ice Lab: New Architecture and Science in …
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NEWS STORY: Submerged mountains aid ocean mixing
18 September, 2013
Undersea mountains provide crucial piece in climate prediction puzzle A mystery in the ocean near Antarctica has been solved by researchers who have long puzzled over how deep and mid-depth …
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NEWS STORY: Ice melt rates measured
13 September, 2013
Antarctic research details ice melt below massive glacier An expedition of international scientists to the far reaches of Antarctica’s remote Pine Island Glacier has yielded exact measurements of an undersea …
PRESS RELEASE: Evidence of life in frozen sediments
10 September, 2013
Life found in the sediments of an Antarctic subglacial lake for the first time Evidence of diverse life forms dating back nearly a hundred thousand years has been found in …
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NEWS STORY: Mission to Pine Island Glacier
9 September, 2013
Ambitious science mission sets off for Antarctica A team of British scientists is making final preparations for an ambitious Antarctic science mission. They aim to discover what’s causing the recent …
NEWS STORY: Halley Research Station at Ice Lab
3 September, 2013
New Architecture and Science in Antarctica 26 Jul – 02 Oct Gallery Two, The Lighthouse, Glasgow Commissioned by the British Council and curated by the Arts Catalyst, Ice Lab: New …
NEWS STORY: More moss growing in Antarctica
29 August, 2013
Moss growth in Antarctica linked to climate change Increases in temperature on the Antarctic Peninsula during the latter part of the 20th century were accompanied by an acceleration in moss …
NEWS STORY: Measuring icequakes
28 August, 2013
Icequakes unlock secrets of icestreams Measuring tiny icequakes is helping British Antarctic Survey scientists investigate ice streams despite the challenging environment they have to work in. The work of Emma …
NEWS STORY: Lake Ellsworth project leader honoured
2 July, 2013
Lake Ellsworth project leader awarded international prize Professor Martin Siegert, the principal investigator on the sub-glacial Lake Ellsworth project, has been awarded the 2013 Muse Prize. The award is in …
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NEWS STORY: Improving space weather forecasting
9 June, 2013
Space weather forecasting system used by satellite operators Weather forecasting is a tricky enough job on Earth, but doing it for the outer atmosphere and beyond is even more problematic. …
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NEWS STORY: Antarctic Treaty System
30 May, 2013
ATCM XXXVI Press Communique From 20th to 29th May 2013, Belgium hosted the XXXVI Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting and the XVI meeting of the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP). The …
NEWS STORY: New academic role for expert
22 May, 2013
Honorary Professorship for BAS polar ocean expert Michael Meredith Polar ocean expert, Michael Meredith, has been made an honorary Professor by the University of the Highlands and Islands. The professorship …
NEWS STORY: Halley VI featured in exhibition
22 May, 2013
Halley VI Research Station to feature in Architectural Exhibition A new international touring exhibition illustrating how innovative contemporary architecture is enabling scientists to live and work in one of the …
NEWS STORY: Tributes to ozone hole expert
13 May, 2013
It is with great sadness the British Antarctic Survey reports that Joe Farman died on Saturday 11 May 2013. He was 82. Joseph Charles Farman CBE, together with colleagues Brian …
NEWS STORY: Halley VI awarded new status
7 May, 2013
Halley VI receives environmental science status upgrade The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has announced British Antarctic Survey’s Halley VI research station has attained Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) Global station status. …
PRESS RELEASE Age and Antarctic clams
18 April, 2013
Age matters to Antarctic clams A new study of Antarctic clams reveals that age matters when it comes to adapting to the effects of climate change. The research provides new …
PRESS RELEASE: Increase in melt rates on Antarctic Peninsula
14 April, 2013
New insight into accelerating summer ice melt on the Antarctic Peninsula A new 1000-year Antarctic Peninsula climate reconstruction shows that summer ice melting has intensified almost ten-fold, and mostly since …
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PRESS RELEASE: Summer melt season extending
28 March, 2013
Summer melt season is getting longer on the Antarctic Peninsula, new data show New research from the Antarctic Peninsula shows that the summer melt season has been getting longer over …
NEWS STORY: BAS’ new Director appointed
21 March, 2013
Professor Jane Francis has been appointed as the new Director of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) Chief Executive of the Natural Environment Research Council, Duncan Wingham said, “I am delighted …
NEWS STORY: Royal Society accolade for expert
20 March, 2013
Top scientist receives Royal Society Research Professorship to fund long-term UK research A Royal Society Research Professorship has been awarded to one of British Antarctic Survey’s leading climate scientists Professor …
NEWS STORY: Age no barrier for albatrosses
12 March, 2013
Saving the best for last – wandering albatrosses” last push for successful parenting Romanticised in poetry, the wandering albatross is famed for its enormous wing-span and long life. The bird …
NEWS STORY: Bedmap opens up Antarctica
8 March, 2013
Bedmap2 gives scientists a more detailed view of Antarctica”s landmass Scientists at the British Antarctic Survey have been working with a host of international collaborators to present the most detailed …
NEWS STORY: New post for oceans expert
7 February, 2013
Professor Michael Meredith joins the Scottish Association for Marine Science Eminent Antarctic oceanographer, Professor Michael Meredith this week joined the staff at the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) on …
PRESS RELEASE: New research station operational
5 February, 2013
New state-of-the-art Antarctic research station becomes fully operational this month Britain’s latest Antarctic Research Station becomes fully operational this month, signalling a new dawn for 21st Century polar research. Opening …
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NEWS STORY: Dutch research lab opened
28 January, 2013
New Research Laboratory opened at Rothera Research Station A new scientific laboratory has been built at the UK Rothera Research Station in Antarctica as a result of an international collaboration …
PRESS RELEASE: Assessing potential sea level rise
16 January, 2013
New Antarctic geological timeline aids future sea-level predictions Radiocarbon dates of tiny fossilised marine animals found in Antarctica’s seabed sediments offer new clues about the recent rapid ice loss from …
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NEWS STORY: Awards to BAS staff
16 January, 2013
Polar medals awarded to three BAS staff Three British Antarctic Survey staff have been honoured with the Polar Medal. The Queen approved the awards for outstanding achievement and service to …
PRESS RELEASE: Lake drill mission called off
27 December, 2012
Antarctic lake mission called off In the early hours of Christmas Day (Tuesday 25 December 2012) Professor Martin Siegert, Principal Investigator of the Subglacial Lake Ellsworth experiment, confirmed that the …
NEWS STORY: Queen Elizabeth land
18 December, 2012
UK names part of Antarctica in honour of the Queen The Foreign Secretary, William Hague, has announced that the southern part of British Antarctic Territory has been named Queen Elizabeth …
PRESS RELEASE: British team to explore buried lake
12 December, 2012
British team set to access and sample one of the last unexplored environments on Earth This week (12 December) a British team of scientists and engineers, including scientists from British …
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NEWS STORY: Sea level rise calculated
30 November, 2012
British Antarctic Survey researchers part of landmark study to improve projections for future sea level An international team of satellite experts including researchers at British Antarctic Survey has produced the …
NEWS STORY: Celebrating Antarctica Day
27 November, 2012
Antarctica Day was inaugurated in 2010 to celebrate the 1st December 1959 signature of the Antarctic Treaty, which was adopted “with the interests of science and the progress of all …
PRESS RELEASE: Effects of ocean acidification
25 November, 2012
First evidence of ocean acidification affecting live marine creatures in the Southern Ocean The shells of marine snails – known as pteropods – living in the seas around Antarctica are …
NEWS STORY: Agreement signed with Chile
19 November, 2012
British Antarctic Survey and Chilean Antarctic Institute sign agreement to strengthen science cooperation This month Prime Minister David Cameron and Foreign Secretary, William Hague welcomed a joint commitment to partner …
PRESS RELEASE: Changing winds increasing sea ice cover
11 November, 2012
Why Antarctic sea ice cover has increased under the effects of climate change The first direct evidence that marked changes to Antarctic sea ice drift have occurred over the last …
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NEWS STORY: Insights into icebergs
29 October, 2012
Scientists discover new mechanism at work breaking-up icebergs An international team of scientists has discovered a previously unknown mechanism by which large tabular icebergs break up out at sea as …
PRESS RELEASE: Ice sheet behaviour analysed
17 October, 2012
Ice sheet retreat controlled by the landscape Ice-sheet retreat can halt temporarily during long phases of climate warming, according to scientists. A UK team led by Durham University has found …
NEWS STORY: Consultation on merger proposal
11 September, 2012
NERC consultation on proposal to merge BAS and National Oceanography Centre (NOC) The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is undertaking a consultation exercise on a proposal to merge two of …
PRESS RELEASE: Mission to Antarctic buried lake
7 September, 2012
British team set to embark on ambitious Antarctic mission to penetrate & sample ancient buried lake After 16 years of planning the countdown is on for one of the most …
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PRESS RELEASE: Antarctica’s climate timeline
22 August, 2012
New climate history adds to understanding of recent Antarctic Peninsula warming Results published this week by a team of polar scientists from Britain, Australia and France adds a new dimension …
NEWS STORY: Ocean sampling at Rothera
20 August, 2012
Ocean sampling: Rothera, Antarctic Peninsula: last but not least! Are the World’s oceans all the same, or are they different? OK at the most basic level, we all know that …
NEWS STORY: HMS Protector open to public
6 August, 2012
Royal Navy’s Antarctic patrol vessel, HMS Protector, pays a four-day visit to Ipswich The Royal Navy’s 5000 tonne Antarctic patrol vessel will sail into Ipswich on Friday (August 10) for …
PRESS RELEASE: Shellfish and changing oceans
5 August, 2012
New study helps predict impact of ocean acidification on shellfish An international study to understand and predict the likely impact of ocean acidification on shellfish and other marine organisms living …
PRESS RELEASE: Ocean role as carbon sink
29 July, 2012
New discovery of how carbon is stored in the Southern Ocean A team of British and Australian scientists has discovered an important method of how carbon is drawn down from …
NEWS STORY: Antarctica celebrates Olympics
25 July, 2012
Rothera Station staff take part in ‘All the Bells’ to celebrate the Olympics Kitchen pots, glasses and a bedpan are just some of the items being used by staff at …
PRESS RELEASE: Secrets of hidden rift valley
25 July, 2012
Hidden rift valley discovered beneath West Antarctica reveals new insight into accelerating ice loss Scientists have discovered a one mile deep rift valley hidden beneath the ice in West Antarctica, …
NEWS STORY: Antarctic conservation issues
13 July, 2012
Challenges facing the future of Antarctica A century ago, Antarctica was one of Earth’s last frontiers, but now the continent is under threat from human activity. An international team of …
NEWS STORY: Antarctic band reform for one off gig
26 June, 2012
Nunatak reunion at the Sanday Soulka festival on the Orkney Islands Having performed at one of the world’s biggest concerts ‘Live Earth*’ on 7th July 2007, Nunatak** — the British …
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NEWS STORY: Midwinter’s Day in Antarctica
20 June, 2012
Antarctica celebrating Midwinter’s Day A hundred years ago Captain Robert Falcon Scott and his team celebrated Midwinter in Antarctica (known as Midsummer’s Day in the UK) — a tradition that …
NEWS STORY: Merger plans for centres
7 June, 2012
Governing body considers combined management of polar and marine science The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is considering a merger of the scientific and logistics management of marine and polar …
NEWS STORY: Ice games for Diamond Jubilee
4 June, 2012
Jubilee Celebrations in Antarctica Scientists and support staff at the British Antarctic Survey Halley Research Station enjoyed a ‘mad hatters’ teaparty and some outdoor pursuits in Antarctica to celebrate the …
NEWS STORY: Assessing potential sea level rise
10 May, 2012
New studies improve scientists’ understanding of the potential contribution of the Antarctic Ice Sheet to global sea level rise Three peer-reviewed papers in Nature and Nature Geoscience published in recent …
PRESS RELEASE: Breeding habits of albatrosses
30 April, 2012
Antarctic albatross displays shift in breeding habits A new study of the wandering albatross – one of the largest birds on Earth – has shown that some of the birds …
PRESS RELEASE: Ocean currents driving ice loss
25 April, 2012
Warm ocean currents cause majority of ice loss from Antarctica Reporting this week (Thursday 26 April) in the journal Nature, an international team of scientists led by British Antarctic Survey …
PRESS RELEASE: Penguins surveyed from space
13 April, 2012
Scientists count penguins from space A new study using satellite mapping technology reveals there are twice as many emperor penguins in Antarctica than was previously thought. The results provide an …
JR 275 Diary Log
17 February, 2012 BAS Bloggers
BAS cruise JR 275 departed the Falkland Islands on the James Clark Ross in early February and will sample the South Scotia Ridge, southern South Sandwich Islands and Weddell Sea …
PRESS RELEASE: Challenging mission accomplished
16 January, 2012
Engineering team completes ambitious Antarctic expedition in the ‘deep-field’ A team of four British Antarctic Survey (BAS) engineers has returned to the UK after completing a gruelling journey to one …
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PRESS RELEASE: Critical food supply level
22 December, 2011
New research shows how much food is needed by seabirds An international group of scientists has shown that many seabirds begin to suffer when the food available for them in …
PRESS RELEASE: Study of largest glacier
5 December, 2011
Scientist on BBC Frozen Planet investigates how world’s largest glacier is contributing to sea-level rise A team of scientists from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is to survey the largest glacier …
PRESS RELEASE: Buried mountain range mapped
16 November, 2011
Gamburtsev Mountains enigma unraveled in interior East Antarctica The birth of the Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains buried beneath the vast East Antarctic Ice Sheet — a puzzle mystifying scientists since their …
PRESS RELEASE: Mission to submerged lake
11 October, 2011
British Antarctic Survey engineering team heads to Antarctica to explore hidden lake Next week a British engineering team from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) heads off to Antarctica for the first …
PRESS RELEASE: Underwater volcanoes discovered
11 July, 2011
Underwater Antarctic volcanoes discovered in the Southern Ocean Scientists from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have discovered previously unknown volcanoes in the ocean waters around the remote South Sandwich Islands. Using …
PRESS RELEASE: Krill’s key role in oceans
4 July, 2011
Antarctic krill help to fertilise Southern Ocean with iron A new discovery reveals that the shrimp-like creature at the heart of the Antarctic food chain could play a key role …
PRESS RELEASE: Glacier’s melt rate quickens
27 June, 2011
Warm ocean speeds melting of Antarctic glacier New results from an investigation into a large glacier in Antarctica and its impact on global sea level rise are published this week …
PRESS RELEASE: Deep sea mystery solved
13 June, 2011
New discovery – Copepods share “diver’s weight belt” technique with whales A deep-sea mystery has been solved with the discovery that the tiny 3 mm long marine animals, eaten by …
PRESS RELEASE: Island haven for sea life
24 May, 2011
Study reveals most biologically rich island in Southern Ocean The first comprehensive study of sea creatures around the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia reveals a region that is richer in …