3 September, 2018
Satellites are more likely to be at risk from high-speed solar wind than a major geomagnetic storm according to a new UK-US study published this week in the Journal Space …
Read more on Satellites more at risk from fast solar wind than a major space storm
29 August, 2018
UK scientists will join what could be the largest-scale Arctic research expedition ever planned when the German research ship, RV Polarstern, is deliberately lodged into sea ice to drift past …
Read more on BAS scientist joins research ship ‘drifting’ past North Pole
13 August, 2018
Melting of ice shelves in West Antarctica speeds up and slows down in response to changes in deep ocean temperature, and is far more variable than previously thought, according to …
Read more on Melt-rate of West Antarctic Ice Sheet highly sensitive to changes in ocean temperatures
8 August, 2018
Understanding of how Jupiter’s magnetic field interacts with its moons and with intense particle radiation.
Read more on Million fold increase in the power of waves near Jupiter’s moon Ganymede
1 August, 2018
A new ‘heat map’ shows, in unprecedented detail, how geothermal heat is escaping through the Earth’s surface beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet. This is critical information for enabling scientists to …
23 July, 2018
A new study of lake sediments from the sub-Antarctic reveals for the first time that increases in westerly winds are likely to reduce the ability of the Southern Ocean to …
Read more on Increases in winds weaken Southern Ocean carbon sink
19 July, 2018
BIRKENHEAD. The superstructure of the new polar research ship for Britain, the RRS Sir David Attenborough, is now on top of the hull. Following the launch of the RRS Sir …
Read more on Update – new polar ship superstructure lifted onto hull
17 July, 2018
The most comprehensive magnetic map of Antarctica ever produced is published this week (15 July 2018). The new map – which includes 3.5 million line-kilometres of magnetic anomaly data collected …
Read more on New magnetic anomaly map helps unveil Antarctica
16 July, 2018
The majestic red hull of the RRS Sir David Attenborough glided in the River Mersey on Saturday 14 July. The launch button was pressed by the naturalist and broadcaster Sir …
Read more on Launch of RRS Sir David Attenborough – in pictures
11 July, 2018
RRS Sir David Attenborough hull launch into River Mersey 14 July Update 20 July 2018 – watch video of launch A major milestone in the build of the UK’s state-of-the-art …
2 July, 2018
Science meetings of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) take place over the next two weeks (starting 2 July 2018) at the Cambridge Headquarters of …
Read more on Science meetings on conservation of Southern Ocean
22 June, 2018
Old albatrosses that are more efficient at finding food during migration are more likely to successfully raise young, new research shows. A study led by the British Antarctic Survey, in …
Read more on In old age, efficiency is key to successful parenting
21 June, 2018
Hundreds of scientists and staff across the breadth of Antarctica – along with their family and friends back home – will today celebrate Midwinter’s Day – the day that heralds …
20 June, 2018
This study, led by scientists from the British Antarctic Survey, suggests that sea-ice loss in different regions of the Arctic, and of different amounts, leads to different effects on surface …
Read more on FEATURED PAPER: Sea-ice loss impacts Northern Hemisphere
19 June, 2018
Scientists from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) join over 1500 polar experts in Davos, Switzerland this week, to discuss the big issues and next steps for research in the polar regions. …
Read more on Scientists convene to discuss next steps for polar research
15 June, 2018
Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica is one of the fastest-flowing glaciers in Antarctica. Over the last eleven years, four major icebergs have broken off from its floating ice shelf. …
Read more on New maps show why glacier ice front suddenly shrank
9 June, 2018
A collection of reports and photos from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), documenting the UK’s leading role in the modern era of Antarctic exploration, is being inscribed onto UNESCO’s UK …
Read more on British Antarctic Survey archives awarded United Nations recognition
5 June, 2018
Scientists from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have, for the first time, tracked the lives of leopard seals as they migrate around Antarctica. The team followed these formidable predators as they …
Read more on New insight into an enigmatic Antarctic apex predator
30 May, 2018
Fungi in Antarctic soils release carbon that is more than a thousand years old, a team led by scientists at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has found. This discovery sheds light on how carbon is released into the atmosphere as polar regions warm.
Read more on Fungi respire millennium-old carbon from Antarctic soil
29 May, 2018
Leading climate scientist and BAS oceanographer Dr Emily Shuckburgh worked with award-winning author and illustrator Chris Haughton to create the short film Message from Antarctica. This is part of the …
Read more on Hay Festival short film highlights Antarctic climate science
24 May, 2018
Revealing Antarctica’s hidden world
Read more on Subglacial valleys and mountain ranges discovered near South Pole
17 May, 2018
A new study of marine fossils from Antarctica, Australia, New Zealand and South America reveals that one of the greatest changes to the evolution of life in our oceans occurred …
Read more on Major shift in marine life occurred 33 million years later
17 May, 2018
The UK and large parts of northern Europe could become windier if global temperatures reach 1.5˚C above pre-industrial levels, according to a new study. This has implications for wind energy …
Read more on European wind energy generation potential in a 1.5˚C world
16 May, 2018
On Monday 14 May, the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and the Instituto Antártico Argentino (IAA) signed a memorandum of understanding that aims to provide a formal framework to joint scientific …
Read more on UK-Argentina science collaboration agreement signed
14 May, 2018
The seas around the Antarctic Peninsula are biologically extremely rich, but are climatically sensitive, having experienced some of the fastest warming globally in recent decades. A special issue of the …
3 May, 2018
A new study involving scientists from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) suggests for the first time that warm winds are creating large surface melting of ice shelves in Antarctica during the …
Read more on “Hairdryer winds” cause ice melt during Antarctic winter
30 April, 2018
Professor Mike Meredith wins prize
Read more on Prestigious international award for oceanographer
30 April, 2018
A new UK-U.S. Antarctic research programme to improve the prediction of future sea-level rise is launched this week (Monday 30 April 2018) at British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Cambridge. The £20 …
Read more on Joint UK-U.S. Antarctic programme to study future sea level rise
26 April, 2018
A team of scientists on board the RRS James Clark Ross (JCR) has conducted marine biodiversity research around the Island of St Helena with a team of UK based and …
9 April, 2018
The first comprehensive study of snowfall across Antarctica provides vital information in the study of future sea-level rise. Presenting this week (Monday 9 April 2018) at the European Geosciences Union …
Read more on New study reveals increased snowfall in Antarctica over last two centuries
4 April, 2018
Seabirds may struggle to find food for their chicks as they are unable to shift their breeding seasons as the climate warms, a new study suggests. Rising sea temperatures in …
Read more on Warming oceans could put seabirds out of sync with prey
28 March, 2018
This week scientists from University of Manchester have successfully tested their ‘metal-detecting’ technology at the UK NERC Arctic research station at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard as part of a wider project to …
Read more on Successful testing mission at UK Arctic Research Station
27 March, 2018
Leading climate scientist and mathematician Dr Emily Shuckburgh is teaming up with award-winning author and illustrator Chris Haughton as part of a collaboration between Hay Festival and the UK Natural …
Read more on Science meets art at Hay Festival to tell story of climate change
16 March, 2018
The RRS James Clark Ross left the Falkland Islands yesterday (15th March) and is travelling towards Tristan Da Cunha, with expected arrival on the 22nd March. The vessel will survey …
Read more on Research cruise heading to study South Atlantic islands
14 March, 2018
A new study concludes that a seafloor dwelling marine invertebrate is more resilient to environmental change than expected. The paper, led by researchers at British Antarctic Survey, is published today …
Read more on Brachiopods resilient to past environmental change
13 March, 2018
The yellow high-tech autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), affectionately known as Boaty McBoatface, has successfully returned from an ambitious science expedition deep below half a kilometre of ice. It is the …
2 March, 2018
Heavy sea ice conditions have thwarted a science mission from reaching the Larsen C Ice Shelf in Antarctica from which a large iceberg broke off in July 2017. A team …
Read more on Research mission to Larsen C Ice Shelf thwarted by sea ice
19 February, 2018
On 30th January 1982, a record high temperature of +19.8°C was measured at Signy Research Station – a record for any station south of 60°S. In this paper, we examined …
19 February, 2018
The UK government is committed to the long-term protection of over four million km2 of the world oceans which fall within the UK’s Overseas Territories. Prioritising which parts of the …
Read more on Marine habitat maps important for Antarctica’s biodiversity
13 February, 2018
Temperature, salinity and food supply are key influences on the shape of common blue mussels (Mytilus spp.), reveals a new study involving scientists from British Antarctic Survey. The research is …
Read more on Blue mussel shape is a powerful indicator for environmental change
12 February, 2018
A team of scientists, led by British Antarctic Survey (BAS), heads to Antarctica this week (14 February) to investigate a mysterious marine ecosystem that’s been hidden beneath an Antarctic ice …
Read more on First expedition to newly exposed Antarctic ecosystem
8 February, 2018
The most comprehensive study of the variability of temperature globally is published this week in the journal Nature. It reveals the degree to which temperature fluctuations reduced from the last …
Read more on Most detailed study of global climate variability around the world
5 February, 2018
Our congratulations go to the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), who this week celebrate six decades of successful international collaboration.
2 February, 2018
Fifteen research institutes from around the world, including British Antarctic Survey, have joined forces to allow scientists access to their polar ships to carry out marine-based research in the Arctic. …
Read more on Working together to make the Arctic more accessible for science
31 January, 2018
Three British Antarctic Survey (BAS) staff have been awarded the Polar Medal, and one member of staff has been awarded a prestigious Second Clasp. The announcement was published last week …
25 January, 2018
A new study of tiny marine snails called sea butterflies shows the great lengths these animals go to repair damage caused by ocean acidification. The paper, led by researchers at …
Read more on Sea butterflies repair shell damage from ocean acidification
23 January, 2018
A team of leading Arctic scientists – including British Antarctic Survey glaciologist Dr Jeremy Wilkinson – are gathering in Davos this week at the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting (23-24 …
Read more on Scientists gather in Davos to highlight Arctic climate change
19 January, 2018
A new study from British Antarctic Survey shows how five common Antarctic marine invertebrates (animals without a backbone) use less energy to feed, grow and reproduce than their temperate and …
12 January, 2018
A new study from the British Antarctic Survey shows how lanternfish, small bioluminescent fish, are likely to respond to the warming of the Southern Ocean. Lanternfish are one of the …
Read more on Lanternfish reveal how ocean warming impacts the twilight zone
10 January, 2018
An international team of researchers, led by British Antarctic Survey (BAS), travels to the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia this month (January) to carry out the first scientific whale survey …
Read more on Expedition to ‘health-check’ Southern Right Whales
5 January, 2018
Our congratulations go to Dr Phil Trathan who has been made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to Southern Ocean science and conservation. Dr …
Read more on New Year Honours for British Antarctic Survey scientist
15 December, 2017
A new study shows that Antarctic krill behave in a way that could accelerate the transport of atmospheric carbon to the deep ocean. Antarctic krill form some of the highest …
Read more on Krill behaviour takes carbon to the ocean depths
14 December, 2017
A new map of what lies beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet is published this week (Thursday 14 December 2017). By providing scientists with the most comprehensive, high resolution and accurate …
Read more on New map reveals landscape beneath Greenland’s ice sheet
12 December, 2017
Professor Dame Jane Francis is appointed Chancellor at University of Leeds
11 December, 2017
A thinning of small areas of floating ice at Antarctica’s coast can accelerate the movement of ice grounded on rocks hundreds of kilometres away, a new study involving scientists from …
Read more on Tiny ice losses at Antarctica’s fringes can accelerate ice loss far away
11 December, 2017
Cartographers surveying Antarctica have discovered Mt Hope is the tallest mountain in the British Antarctic Territory (BAT) at 3,239 m (10,654 ft) above sea level. Until now, maps showed Mt …
Read more on New satellite imagery reveals new highest Antarctic Peninsula Mountain
7 December, 2017
British Antarctic Survey (BAS) oceanographer and mathematician Dr Emily Shuckburgh has been appointed member of the Advisory Board to the All-Party Parliamentary Climate Change Group (APPCCG). And civil engineer and …
Read more on British Antarctic Survey Staff Appointed to Parliamentary Advisory Boards
4 December, 2017
Applications are invited for the Collaborative Antarctic Science Scheme (CASS) for Antarctic fieldwork in the 2018/19 field season. The closing date is 5th March 2018. CASS provides opportunities for UK-based …
Read more on Collaborative Antarctic Science Scheme – Applications invited
29 November, 2017
An animation of the giant iceberg that calved off the Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica just over two months ago shows an unexpected break up. Satellite images revealed a …
20 November, 2017
The populations of wandering, black-browed and grey-headed albatrosses have halved over the last 35 years on sub-antarctic Bird Island according to a new study published today (20 November) in the …
Read more on Albatrosses in decline from fishing and environmental change
20 November, 2017
A UK team of researchers has produced high-resolution maps of the bed beneath a major glacier in West Antarctica, which will help them predict future sea-level rise from this region. …
Read more on Maps reveal landscape beneath Antarctica’s weak underbelly
14 November, 2017
An international study involving British Antarctic Survey (BAS) scientists has shed light on how the larvae of Antarctic krill – small shrimp-like crustaceans – use sea ice to ensure their …
13 November, 2017
The Sichuan basin is one of the most densely populated regions of China. Along with insufficient arable land and economic underdevelopments, this region is particularly vulnerable to climate-related stresses. Improving …
13 November, 2017
An international team of scientists, led by British Antarctic Survey (BAS), has produced a new map showing how much heat from the Earth’s interior is reaching the base of the …
Read more on New Antarctic heat map reveals sub-ice hotspots
10 November, 2017
Station opens for 2017 summer season
Read more on Halley VI Research Station ready for 2017 summer season
8 November, 2017
This week (10-11 November) leading scientists and experts from EU-funded research programmes engage with political leaders from the Pacific Ocean and the Arctic to examine the economic and social consequences …
Read more on BAS scientists at 2017 COP23 climate event in Bonn
31 October, 2017
British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has decided, for safety reasons, that it will close its Halley VI Research Station during the 2018 Antarctic winter. This will be the second time that …
Read more on Halley Research Station will not winter in 2018
27 October, 2017
The RRS Sir David Attenborough (SDA) just got another step closer to completion as the Hamburg Ship Model Basin (HSVA) investigated the aerodynamic performance of Britain’s new polar research vessel using a computer generated ‘virtual wind tunnel’
Read more on The RRS Sir David Attenborough in the virtual wind tunnel
25 October, 2017
Thousands of marks on the Antarctic seafloor, caused by icebergs which broke free from glaciers more than ten thousand years ago, show how part of the Antarctic Ice Sheet retreated …
Read more on ‘Scars’ left by icebergs record West Antarctic ice retreat
23 October, 2017
Blue Planet II – the nature documentary that explores the deepest and darkest realms of the world’s oceans – is back on the BBC some 16 years after it was …
9 October, 2017
A team of scientists, led by British Antarctic Survey (BAS), is planning an urgent mission to investigate a mysterious marine ecosystem that’s been hidden beneath an Antarctic ice shelf for …
Read more on Scientists to visit hidden Antarctic ecosystem after giant iceberg calving
5 October, 2017
Wind-driven incursions of warm, deep water forced the retreat of West Antarctic glaciers from the end of the last ice age until 7,500 years ago and since the 1940s. These …
Read more on FEATURED PAPER: Wind, warm water and ice-sheet loss
2 October, 2017
A new multidisciplinary study led by scientists at British Antarctic Study (BAS) stresses the need for an integrated approach to understand the effects of climate change on Antarctic marine ecosystems. …
Read more on New study calls for unified research to understand changing ecosystems
29 September, 2017
Rolls-Royce is marking a major milestone on the journey towards the completion of Britain’s new polar research vessel the RRS Sir David Attenborough being built by Merseyside shipyard Cammell Laird.
Read more on Milestone in construction of RRS Sir David Attenborough
27 September, 2017
Latest satellite images reveal a new 100-square-mile iceberg emerging from Antarctica’s Pine Island Glacier. The calving event did not come as a complete surprise, but is a troubling sign with …
25 September, 2017
Arctic sea ice extent has likely reached its minimum extent for the year, at 4.64 million square kilometers (1.79 million square miles) on September 13, 2017, according to a team …
22 September, 2017
For nearly 50 years, researchers have been stumped as to why sea shells from warm tropical waters are comparatively larger than their cold water relatives. New research, led by the …
Read more on Marine snails know how to budget their housing costs
22 September, 2017
Today the royal research ship RRS Discovery will depart Southampton for an ambitious science expedition to the ocean around South Georgia. This expedition will take place almost 100 years after …
Read more on Science cruise departs ahead of Discovery Investigations anniversary
19 September, 2017
An international agreement is now in place to give special protection to the area of ocean left exposed when one of the largest icebergs ever recorded broke free from the …
Read more on Special protection for area exposed by Larsen C iceberg
11 September, 2017
This week (Saturday 16 September), marks the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. It is one of the most successful …
Read more on World Ozone Day: 30th anniversary of Montreal Protocol
4 September, 2017
A new study of the marine invertebrates living in the seas around Antarctica reveals there will be more ‘losers’ than ‘winners’ over the next century as the Antarctic seafloor warms. …
Read more on More losers than winners for Southern Ocean marine life
31 August, 2017
A team of scientists has discovered that a 1°C rise in local sea temperature has massive impacts on an Antarctic marine community. These new results are published this week (31 …
Read more on Antarctic marine life may grow faster in a warming world
29 August, 2017
Temperature plays an important role in the distribution of ocean plankton communities and has the potential to cause major distribution shifts, as recently observed in the Arctic. A new study …
29 August, 2017
The “stern section” of the new polar research ship for Britain, the RRS Sir David Attenborough, arrived at Cammell Laird’s shipyard in Birkenhead this weekend (27 August 2017). The video …
Read more on Update – polar ship stern block arrives in Birkenhead
24 August, 2017
A team of cartographers at British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has re-produced a high-resolution updated map of the sub-antarctic island of South Georgia. The island, situated at 37°W 54°10’S is a …
23 August, 2017
The most advanced space weather radar in the world is to be built in the Arctic by an international partnership including the UK, thanks to new investment, including in the …
Read more on Most advanced space weather radar to be built in Arctic
18 August, 2017
A major feat of engineering takes place this week (21 August) as the “stern section” of the new polar research ship for Britain, the RRS Sir David Attenborough, is transported …
17 August, 2017
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has selected Professor Mike Meredith from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) to be a coordinating lead author for a Special Report on the Ocean …
Read more on BAS Oceanographer selected for Special IPCC Report
11 August, 2017
The British Antarctic Survey Air Unit have been awarded the Johnston Memorial Trophy for 2017 by The Honourable Company of Air Pilots. This is a considerable acknowledgement of the regard held …
2 August, 2017
The largest remaining ice shelf on the Antarctic Peninsula lost 10% of its area when an iceberg four times the size of London broke free earlier this month. Since …
Read more on Impact of giant Antarctic iceberg – update on Larsen-C
21 July, 2017
The new Aurora Innovation Centre that will support cross-discipline research to tackle environmental challenges and increase the real-world benefit of polar research was officially opened today (Friday 21 July) by …
Read more on Science Minister opens new Aurora Innovation Centre
19 July, 2017
A new study on mosses found in the polar regions reveals when and how often they have migrated across the Equator. Mosses are the dominant flora in Antarctica, yet little is known of …
Read more on New study explains moss migration across the globe
18 July, 2017
Last week (12th July) Dr Emily Shuckburgh travelled to Pittsburgh, USA, and received the prestigious 2017 I. E. Block Community Lecture prize from SIAM – the Society for Industrial and …
Read more on Climate Scientist awarded Prestigious Mathematical prize
17 July, 2017
Polar field guides Julie Baum and Tom Sylvester tied the knot on Saturday (15 July) at British Antarctic Survey’s (BAS) Rothera Research Station. This was the first official wedding to …
12 July, 2017
After months of ‘hanging by a thread’ a vast iceberg the size of Norfolk has finally broken off Antarctica’s Larsen C Ice Shelf. Around 30 metres of this 190m thick …