11 February, 2026
New findings challenge ‘overdue earthquake’ myth and urge Himalayan policymakers to treat seismic risk as constant. A new study published in Science Advances has overturned a common assumption about earthquake prediction: that …
Read more on Major earthquakes don’t run to timetable, 6,000-year study reveals
5 February, 2026
Researchers at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have developed a new artificial intelligence tool that can, for the first time, automatically track the lifecycles of icebergs as they drift, melt …
Read more on Scientists use AI to track icebergs from birth to break up for the first time
4 February, 2026
Researchers from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and South Korea (KOPRI) have concluded a highly ambitious field operation at Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica, after instruments deployed during hot-water drilling became …
Read more on Update from Thwaites Glacier: when science doesn’t go your way
30 January, 2026
Welcome to a bumper edition of our postcard update! Rothera Research Station has been a hive of activity since our last postcard with science and operations underway, VIP and …
Read more on Postcard from Rothera Research Station: January 2026
29 January, 2026
A team of researchers from the UK and Korea has reached the most inaccessible and least-understood part of Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica where they will drill through the glacier to directly observe how warm ocean water is …
Read more on Scientists’ drilling mission on remote and inaccessible glacier
21 January, 2026
This year, escape the ordinary and apply for the job of a lifetime in Antarctica. While January is often associated with post-Christmas gloom, British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is looking for people to work at its research stations in Antarctica, …
Read more on Escape the January blues – applications open for jobs in Antarctica
15 January, 2026
An international team of researchers, led by British Antarctic Survey (BAS), is setting out to discover how glacier calving around Antarctica can trigger powerful underwater tsunamis. When icebergs break off glacier fronts and fall …
14 January, 2026
Scientists working in Antarctica will benefit from a major new British Antarctic Survey (BAS) facility that demonstrates the UK’s position as a world leader in polar research. The £100 million …
Read more on UK investment in polar research reaches milestone with opening of new Antarctic hub
19 December, 2025
Specialist divers will be entering the icy waters of the Weddell Sea, Antarctica this festive season (22-29 December) as part of a groundbreaking mission to test RRS Sir David Attenborough’s …
13 December, 2025
The staff at the UK’s Rothera Research Station in Antarctica have been gifted an iconic Royal Mail ‘lamp’ post box featuring the King Charles III cypher – just in time …
12 December, 2025
Researchers, engineers and support staff at British Antarctic Survey’s (BAS) five UK research stations and aboard the UK’s polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough mark the festive season at …
4 December, 2025
Scientists have uncovered how changing ocean currents in South Georgia’s fjords could affect the survival of young mackerel icefish. The species is a key component of the island’s rich marine …
Read more on Ocean currents shape fish survival in South Georgia’s fjords
28 November, 2025
The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has joined forces with the Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI) and Germany’s Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) to share an ice-capable vessel that will resupply three Antarctic …
Read more on International collaboration secures Antarctic station resupply for the next decade
20 November, 2025
Discovery Building takes shape The latest update from Rothera, our largest research station in Antarctica, where construction work on the new Discovery Building is advancing well as the summer season …
Read more on 20 November 2025: Postcard from Rothera Research Station
13 November, 2025
New research reveals 47% decline in breeding female elephant seals at sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia following a highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak. Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) …
Read more on Severe impact of avian flu on southern elephant seals
10 November, 2025
A scientist from the British Antarctic Survey has contributed to a major new international publication, coordinated by the UK National Commission for UNESCO, which highlights the accelerating decline of glaciers …
Read more on UK scientists contribute to global UNESCO report warning of unprecedented glacier loss
24 October, 2025
The 2025 – 2026 Antarctic season is a landmark for the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and its Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Project (AIMP), as the new Discovery Building begins to take …
Read more on Discovery Building comes to life in a milestone new season for British Antarctic Survey
22 October, 2025
Pink granite boulders scattered across the dark volcanic peaks of the Hudson Mountains in West Antarctica, have revealed the presence of a vast buried granite body – almost 100 km …
Read more on Hidden giant granite discovered beneath West Antarctic Ice Sheet
20 October, 2025
New advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) are transforming the way scientists explore and understand some of the most remote parts of the ocean around Antarctica and the strange creatures that …
Read more on Artificial Intelligence supercharges science on the Antarctic seafloor
17 October, 2025
Dr Beatrix (Bea) Schlarb-Ridley, Director of Innovation and Impact at the British Antarctic Survey, has been awarded an Honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services …
Read more on British Antarctic Survey Innovation Director Receives Honorary MBE
16 October, 2025
RRS Sir David Attenborough departs from Plymouth on 17 October to begin five-week voyage to Antarctica, marking the start of the new Antarctic field season. Cambridge, UK – British Antarctic …
6 October, 2025
The fleet of British Antarctic Survey aircraft have taken off on their annual ‘ferry flights’ from Canada, in preparation for a new season of science in Antarctica. The BAS fleet …
3 October, 2025
British Antarctic Survey (BAS) are committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040. Transparency is central to our approach – we do not purchase carbon offsets. Instead, we prioritise …
Read more on BAS Carbon Footprint Report 2024/2025: Our journey to net zero
2 October, 2025
Ancient ice from Antarctica, extracted as part of the Beyond EPICA – Oldest Ice project, captures a unique climate record spanning at least the past 1.2 million years. The team …
29 September, 2025
London, 29-30 September 2025 – Scientists meeting at The Royal Society in London this week are issuing a stark warning: dramatic and extreme changes in Antarctica are happening faster than …
19 September, 2025
The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is pioneering inclusivity in one of the world’s most challenging environments – the vast, icy expanse of Antarctica. Through pioneering work on polar hygiene and broader …
18 September, 2025
A new map catalogue with access to a large collection of freely available polar maps is now available online. Many of these maps were previously unavailable to the public and …
17 September, 2025
17 September 2025: Postcard from Rothera Research Station The British Antarctic Survey’s (BAS) wintering team continues to make progress on our new science and operations facility, the Discovery Building at Rothera Research …
Read more on 17 September 2025: Postcard from Rothera Research Station
12 September, 2025
The Polar Museum at the Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, has opened its new exhibition, Through Ice & Fire
11 September, 2025
Scientists have detected the DNA of an invasive marine species in Arctic Canada suggesting the region’s waters are no longer cold enough to be a natural barrier.
Read more on Cruising for clues: discovering invasive species in the Arctic with eDNA
9 September, 2025
Well-publicised geoengineering ideas are highly unlikely to help the polar regions and could harm ecosystems, communities, international relations, and our chances of reaching net zero by 2050. This is according to …
Read more on Review suggests polar geoengineering ideas could do more harm than good
2 September, 2025
British Antarctic Survey is inviting you to send your name on an extraordinary adventure to the world’s most remote continent. This October, you can be part of a remarkable expedition …
11 August, 2025
The remains of an Antarctic researcher have been discovered by a Polish team among rocks exposed by a receding glacier in Antarctica. They are identified by DNA as those of …
Read more on Remains of British researcher lost in 1959 recovered from Antarctic glacier
5 August, 2025
The Mapping and Geographic Information Centre (MAGIC) at the British Antarctic Survey have produced new maps of the topography (physical features) and geology of Alexander Island in Antarctica. These maps …
Read more on New maps published of Alexander Island, Antarctica
31 July, 2025
31 July 2025: Postcard from Rothera With the end of the 2024/25 Antarctic construction season, the British Antarctic Survey’s (BAS) wintering team settles in at Rothera Research Station. Rothera is …
Read more on 31 July 2025: Postcard from Rothera Research Station
24 July, 2025
A new study has revealed that ocean tides can directly influence when massive Antarctic icebergs break off from the ice shelves surrounding the continent, a process known as calving. The research marks a major step toward accurately forecasting ice loss from the Antarctic Ice Sheet and improving projections of global sea level rise.
Read more on New research links ocean tides to when icebergs in Antarctica break off
23 July, 2025
Scientists from British Antarctic Survey have contributed to research that significantly improves predictions of future precipitation – rainfall and snowfall – in High Mountain Asia, a region that provides water …
Read more on New study improves climate predictions in Asia’s mountain regions
18 July, 2025
A consignment of ancient ice from Antarctica, extracted as part of the Beyond EPICA – Oldest Ice project, arrived at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) in Cambridge for detailed analysis this month.
Read more on Antarctica’s oldest ice arrives for climate analysis
11 July, 2025
How do you measure success when assessing one of the most remarkable examples of international collaboration and diplomacy ever?
Read more on The Antarctic Treaty and the role of National Antarctic Programmes
11 July, 2025
A team of scientists, including those from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), have uncovered the hidden remains of a vast ancient coastal plain beneath East Antarctica—an important discovery that could refine forecasts of future global sea level rise.
Read more on Ancient river landscapes discovered beneath East Antarctica
4 July, 2025
A new study in collaboration with BAS scientists reveals for the first time that zooplankton migration contributes significantly to carbon storage in the Southern Ocean – a process currently overlooked …
Read more on Tiny ocean heroes play a massive role in Southern Ocean carbon storage
30 June, 2025
A team from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is attending this year’s Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM), a diplomatic forum to discuss the governance and environmental protection of Antarctica. Every June …
Read more on British Antarctic Survey attends Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting
26 June, 2025
A new study challenges recent claims about dramatic “greening” in Antarctica and how this conflicts with decades of field-based ecological knowledge. The new opinion article ‘Is Antarctica Greening?’, published in …
Read more on Study challenges recent claims about rapid Antarctic “greening”
25 June, 2025
Professor Mike Meredith is an oceanographer at British Antarctic Survey. He concludes a first of its kind science cruise on the RRS Sir David Attenborough conducting research in the polar …
Read more on A first for RRS Sir David Attenborough: science in the dark
24 June, 2025
As the 2024/25 Antarctic construction season comes to a close, the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) marks a crucial milestone in the modernisation of Rothera Research Station, as the Discovery Building …
Read more on End of season milestone: Discovery Building lights the way forward
20 June, 2025
Tomorrow, 21 June marks the shortest day of the year in Antarctica and British Antarctic Survey (BAS) will be celebrating the tradition of Midwinter’s Day. With 24 hours of darkness …
18 June, 2025
New study reveals how Antarctic seals are responding to shifts in Antarctic sea ice and what long term changes could mean for their future survival. A new study of Antarctic …
Read more on Seals study shows melting sea ice is shaping their future
10 June, 2025
Antarctica’s emperor penguin population may be decreasing faster than some of the most pessimistic predictions. A new analysis of up-to-date satellite imagery suggests the birds’ numbers declined 22% over a …
Read more on Emperor penguin populations in Antarctica declining faster than thought
5 June, 2025
Antarctica could see a doubling of extreme weather events – such as atmospheric rivers – by 2100, with implications for future sea level rise. A new study published last week …
Read more on Climate change supercharges atmospheric rivers over Antarctica
29 May, 2025
Artificial intelligence sea ice forecasting systems could help predict and protect the migration routes of endangered caribou in the Canadian Arctic, according to a new study. The research, led by …
Read more on New AI tool aids caribou conservation in a changing Arctic
27 May, 2025
The British Antarctic Survey’s (BAS) new scientific support and operations facility, the Discovery Building, is now coming into operational use at Rothera Research Station in Antarctica. Marking a major milestone …
Read more on Major Antarctic operations hub switches on to support UK polar science
13 May, 2025
This week, the world will mark the 40th anniversary of a moment that changed the course of history: the publication in Nature of ground-breaking research that presented the discovery of …
Read more on Marking 40 years since the discovery of the ozone hole
9 May, 2025
British Antarctic Survey scientists and support staff are coming to the end of another successful Antarctic science season. Teams are now preparing for the transition to winter operations as the …
Read more on Celebrating a successful Antarctic science season
8 May, 2025
Scientists have discovered a glacier in Antarctica committing “ice piracy” – stealing ice from its neighbour in a phenomenon previously thought to take hundreds or thousands of years. Research led …
Read more on West Antarctic glacier observed stealing ice from neighbour
29 April, 2025
A team of British Antarctic Survey (BAS) researchers are presenting the latest polar science at the European Geosciences Union (EGU) 2025 General Assembly this week (27 April – 2 May). …
Read more on British Antarctic Survey scientists lead polar search at key international conference
28 April, 2025
Cambridge, 28 April 2025: The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is hosting a two-day kick-off meeting this week to launch the ambitious new £8.4 million PRESCIENT programme. This major initiative, funded …
Read more on Scientists come together for new ambitious science programme
24 April, 2025
A new study reveals there was a time when massive icebergs, like the ones we see in Antarctica today, were drifting less than 90 miles off the UK coastline. Scientists …
22 April, 2025
British Antarctic Survey’s Net Zero team collaborates with the Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling to highlight polar science at major climate conference. The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) net zero …
Read more on BAS and CPOM Partner for Innovation Zero World 2025
22 April, 2025
This Earth Day (22 April 2025) the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is spotlighting a new book that showcases the latest scientific insights from the Antarctic. Antarctica and the Earth System, …
Read more on Antarctica’s global impact highlighted in new book
18 April, 2025
Here’s our latest postcard from Rothera Research Station – Discovery Building progress and station life! March was a bustling month at our Antarctic station, with the final flight (of our …
Read more on 18 April 2025: Postcard from Rothera Research Station
4 April, 2025
For the first time, scientists have collected measurements close to a giant iceberg, giving an unprecedented window into the impact of meltwater on the surrounding Southern Ocean and ecosystem. The …
Read more on Underwater robotic gliders provide new insights into the impact of a melting megaberg
21 March, 2025
The waters surrounding South Georgia, nestled beneath glaciated mountains, are among the most biologically rich in the Southern Ocean. In February, a team of scientists from the British Antarctic Survey …
Read more on Groundfish survey reveals key insights into South Georgia’s marine life
20 March, 2025
ANTARCTICA: Scientists have discovered vibrant communities of ancient sponges and corals on the newly exposed seafloor following the calving of the giant A-84 iceberg. This offers new insights into how …
Read more on Thriving ecosystem discovered following iceberg calving
19 March, 2025
The oldest ice ever extracted from Antarctica is on its way to Europe, marking a major milestone in climate science. The ice cores, obtained through the Beyond EPICA – Oldest …
14 March, 2025
Here’s our sixth postcard from Rothera Research Station – Discovery Building progress! Power generation milestone Our Combined Heat and Power (CHP) generators are now operating 24/7 at Rothera Research Station, …
Read more on 14 March 2025: Postcard from Rothera Research Station
13 March, 2025
The most detailed map yet of the landscape beneath Antarctica’s ice sheet has been assembled by a team of international scientists led from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). Known as …
Read more on New map of landscape beneath Antarctica unveiled
11 March, 2025
A new study has revealed significant changes in the strength and position of the Southern Hemisphere westerly winds over the past 11,000 years. Researchers, including those from British Antarctic Survey …
Read more on Ancient wind patterns reveal future climate risks
5 March, 2025
The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has installed and activated two solar photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage systems in Antarctica as part of our commitment to reach net zero by 2040. …
4 March, 2025
ANTARCTICA: The world’s largest and oldest iceberg A23a has finally come to a standstill as it appears to have run aground near the sub-Antarctic Island of South Georgia. The giant …
Read more on World’s largest iceberg grounds near sub-Antarctic Island of South Georgia
27 February, 2025
Congratulations to Professor Kate Hendry who has been awarded The Geological Society’s Bigsby Medal for eminent services to geology. The announcement was made today (26 February 2025). Kate is a …
21 February, 2025
Meet Olivier Hubert, the chef bringing culinary excellence to the bottom of the world at British Antarctic Survey’s research stations. From crafting 5,000-calorie meals for polar scientists to hosting Caribbean-themed …
Read more on From Fine Dining to Frozen Frontiers: Life as an Antarctic Chef
17 February, 2025
British Antarctic Survey (BAS) researchers have been selected for funding from The Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA) to help improve our understanding of climate tipping points. These tipping points …
Read more on Scientists secure funding to study Greenland and North Atlantic climate tipping points
13 February, 2025
A new map of the South Orkney Islands has been released by British Antarctic Survey (BAS) – the first UK published, topographic map of the region in almost 40 years. …
Read more on New map of South Orkney Islands published for the first time in 40 years
12 February, 2025
Here’s our fifth postcard from Rothera, where exciting changes are transforming our largest Antarctic research station this month! A new wind deflector The new Discovery Building is taking shape with …
Read more on 12 February 2025: Postcard from Rothera Research Station
11 February, 2025
Extreme precipitation events in Antarctica, which are mostly dominated by snowfall due to sub-zero temperatures, also include rainfall, according to new research. BAS scientists studying atmospheric rivers – narrow bands …
Read more on New study reveals what brings rainfall to ice shelves in West Antarctica
6 February, 2025
Scientists have discovered microplastics in the snow near some of Antarctica’s deep field camps, revealing how far-reaching plastic pollution has become. While not new, it’s the first time these tiny …
5 February, 2025
Scientists return to the Southern Ocean this week (5 February 2025), as part of the BIOPOLE project, to answer fundamental questions about how nutrients drive the global carbon cycle and …
Read more on Mission to Antarctica seeks answers to critical questions about nutrients and carbon
31 January, 2025
Scientists on the remote sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia are working to better understand the rich marine life that inhabits the region. This month teams are focusing on two major …
Read more on Scientists study whales and fish to protect South Georgia’s marine ecosystem
29 January, 2025
Scientists from the University of Cambridge and British Antarctic Survey have used ice core records to draw new conclusions about how Antarctica was affected by increased global temperatures over 100,000 …
Read more on Ancient Antarctic ice loss offers insights into future climate scenarios
29 January, 2025
Applications to carry out small-scale research projects in the Antarctic in the 2025/26 season are invited from UK-based researchers through the Collaborative Antarctic Science Scheme (CASS). The scheme provides opportunities …
Read more on Opportunities for Antarctic research – apply now!
20 January, 2025
This Blue Monday (20 January), escape the ordinary and apply for the job of a lifetime in Antarctica. British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is looking for people to work at its …
Read more on Seriously remote working – applications open for jobs in Antarctica
17 January, 2025
Congratulations to British Antarctic Survey (BAS) staff who have been awarded a Polar Medal in the 2025 New Year’s Honours List for their contributions to improving our understanding of Antarctica, …
15 January, 2025
Welcome to our fourth Postcard from Rothera Research Station, giving you an update on the latest progress as we modernise our largest station in Antarctica. Modernisation progress The season is …
Read more on 15 January 2025: Postcard from Rothera Research Station
10 January, 2025
The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) has awarded the 2025 Chapman Medal to Dr Nigel Meredith for his world leading and transformative research on plasma waves in magnetospheric physics. The announcement was made …
Read more on Dr Nigel Meredith awarded 2025 Chapman Medal for plasma wave research
9 January, 2025
The fourth Antarctic campaign of the Beyond EPICA-Oldest Ice project has achieved a historic milestone this week, by successfully drilling a 2800-metre-long ice core, consisting of ice from the Antarctic …
Read more on Historic drilling project finds ice over 1.2 million years old
3 January, 2025
Rod Arnold, Head of the Air Unit at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), has been awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours list for services to Polar Science and …
Read more on New Year Honour for British Antarctic Survey’s Head of Air Unit
19 December, 2024
A new study shows that the ongoing decline in Antarctic sea ice is leading to more heat loss from the ocean to the atmosphere and an increase in storm activity. …
Read more on Declining Antarctic sea ice generating more ocean heat loss and storms
13 December, 2024
ANTARCTICA: The world’s largest and oldest iceberg A23a is on the move. After decades of being grounded on the seafloor and more recently spinning on the spot, the mega-iceberg has …
12 December, 2024
Over 30 researchers from international institutes are working on ice core drilling campaigns in Antarctica to probe the ice sheet’s behaviour, carbon cycling in the Southern Ocean, and the Earth’s …
Read more on Antarctic drilling missions seek to understand climate and ice dynamics
9 December, 2024
British Antarctic Survey (BAS) staff working on the frozen continent are preparing to celebrate the festive season in style. Nearly 300 researchers, engineers, crew and support staff, located across five …
Read more on Spare a thought for those spending Christmas in Antarctica
6 December, 2024
Welcome to our third Postcard from Rothera Research Station, giving you an update on the latest progress as we modernise our largest station in Antarctica. Summer season in full swing …
Read more on 6 December 2024: Postcard from Rothera Research Station
3 December, 2024
A new species of tusk shell, a burrowing marine mollusc, has been discovered in deep, North Atlantic waters by scientists from British Antarctic Survey and the Senckenberg Society for Nature …
Read more on New deep-sea mollusc species co-habits with anemone
27 November, 2024
Polar ice sheets are critical for climate projections, according to new research published today in the journal Nature Communications Earth & Environment. Improving understanding of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets …
Read more on Role of polar ice sheets in climate tipping points
26 November, 2024
A project looking at how clouds affect climate change in Antarctica starts its second year of field research this month. The Southern Ocean Clouds (SOC) project, which is part of …
Read more on Cloud scientists take to the skies to solve climate uncertainty
24 November, 2024
From their unmistakable tusks to their characteristic bristles (the envy of many a ‘Movember’ moustache!), the walrus is one of the Arctic’s most iconic species, and today (Sunday 24 November) …
22 November, 2024
A new study examines the risk to whales from ship strikes – the leading cause of death worldwide for the species. Thousands of whales are injured or killed each year …
Read more on Whale-ship strikes reduced if 2.6% of ocean made safer
20 November, 2024
New research shows that increased levels of plastic pollution in the Southern Ocean could reduce the ability of Antarctic krill, a tiny shrimp-like crustacean, to help take CO2 from the atmosphere. The …
Read more on Plastic reduces how krill remove carbon into deep ocean