Special delivery for Antarctica
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 …
News and Press Releases
We want to share news about our research and operational activities with as many people as possible around the world. We write and issue press releases and news stories. Browse our latest news here. If you are a journalist and would like to be added to our news distribution list please contact our Press Office.
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Celebrating the festive season in Antarctica
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 …
Severe impact of avian flu on southern elephant seals
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
Discovery Building comes to life in a milestone new season for British Antarctic Survey
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
Hidden giant granite discovered beneath West Antarctic Ice Sheet
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
A new Antarctic season begins for 2025/26
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 …
A historic moment: over 1.2 million years of Earth’s climate history captured from an Antarctic ice core
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 …
Antarctica’s message to the world: scientists sound alarm on extreme events and tipping points
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 …
Cruising for clues: discovering invasive species in the Arctic with eDNA
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
New research links ocean tides to when icebergs in Antarctica break off
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
Antarctica’s oldest ice arrives for climate analysis
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
End of season milestone: Discovery Building lights the way forward
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
Seals study shows melting sea ice is shaping their future
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
New AI tool aids caribou conservation in a changing Arctic
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
Major Antarctic operations hub switches on to support UK polar science
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
Marking 40 years since the discovery of the ozone hole
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
Massive icebergs once roamed off coast of UK
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 …
Underwater robotic gliders provide new insights into the impact of a melting megaberg
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
New map of landscape beneath Antarctica unveiled
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
New study reveals what brings rainfall to ice shelves in West Antarctica
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
Microplastics discovered in 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 …
Mission to Antarctica seeks answers to critical questions about nutrients and carbon
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
Seriously remote working – applications open for jobs in Antarctica
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
World’s largest iceberg A23a breaks free
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 …
Role of polar ice sheets in climate tipping points
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
New construction season drives Antarctic modernisation forward
4 November, 2024
A new season of construction is underway in Antarctica for the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). Specialist teams are arriving at Rothera, the UK’s largest research station and gateway for international …
Read more on New construction season drives Antarctic modernisation forward
Get your Ticket to Antarctica! Your name will go on a journey to the frozen wilderness
7 October, 2024
*It’s not too late to sign up to Ticket to Antarctica. Your name can join RRS Sir David Attenborough in the Falkland Islands* Do you dream of visiting Antarctica? Well, …
Read more on Get your Ticket to Antarctica! Your name will go on a journey to the frozen wilderness
Grim outlook for Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier
20 September, 2024
New science briefing summarises results of the ambitious international collaboration to study Antarctica’s most worrying glacier Cambridge: A vast area of the Antarctic Ice Sheet continues to retreat as a …
Get your Ticket to Antarctica!
12 September, 2024
Your name will go on a journey to the frozen wilderness! New project seeks to inspire, educate and entertain the public about Antarctica. Do you dream of visiting Antarctica? Well, …
Expedition to Greenland will piece together movements of ancient civilisation
1 August, 2024
An interdisciplinary team of researchers is heading back to Greenland this week (30 July) for the second phase of the Wandel Dal Project. This unique project aims to unravel the …
Read more on Expedition to Greenland will piece together movements of ancient civilisation
Seabirds threatened by trawl fisheries
23 July, 2024
Seabirds are among the most threatened creatures globally, often due to incidental mortality (bycatch) in fisheries. Several hundreds of thousands of seabirds are thought to be killed worldwide each year …
Greenland science expedition aims to unveil critical climate insights
15 July, 2024
This week (Friday 19 July) the UK’s polar research vessel the RRS Sir David Attenborough makes its first science expedition to the Arctic. A team will work in south-east Greenland …
Read more on Greenland science expedition aims to unveil critical climate insights
Modernisation milestones achieved in Antarctica
10 July, 2024
Construction teams have completed significant stages of the British Antarctic Survey’s (BAS) Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme and joined the over-wintering staff for the first time as the 2023/24 summer season ended. The improvements, led by BAM and technical advisors Ramboll will transform future science and operations at Rothera, the UK’s largest polar research station in Antarctica.
Read more on Modernisation milestones achieved in Antarctica
New tipping point discovered beneath the Antarctic ice sheet
25 June, 2024
Warm water that seeps underneath can melt ice in way not yet included in models A new and worrying way that large ice sheets can melt has been characterised by …
Read more on New tipping point discovered beneath the Antarctic ice sheet
Drones validate walrus counts in satellite images from space
22 May, 2024
In the first successful attempt to calibrate walrus counts from satellite imagery, scientists used drones to validate animal counts in Svalbard, Norway. This International Day for Biological Diversity, the researchers …
Read more on Drones validate walrus counts in satellite images from space
Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica calves new iceberg
21 May, 2024
New iceberg, the size of the Isle of Wight, is expected to be called A-83 ANTARCTICA – 21 May. A large iceberg (380 km²), about the size of the Isle …
Read more on Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica calves new iceberg
Record low Antarctic sea ice ‘extremely unlikely’ without climate change
20 May, 2024
Scientists at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have found that the record-low levels of sea ice around Antarctica in 2023 were extremely unlikely to happen without the influence of climate …
Read more on Record low Antarctic sea ice ‘extremely unlikely’ without climate change
Emperor penguin colonies in Antarctica suffer as sea-ice diminishes
25 April, 2024
Record low levels of Antarctic sea-ice in late 2023 resulted in breeding failures in a fifth of the continent’s emperor penguin colonies, according to a new study from British Antarctic …
Read more on Emperor penguin colonies in Antarctica suffer as sea-ice diminishes
New insights into the bed beneath remote Antarctic glacier
16 April, 2024
Scientists have discovered a landscape of rocky hills and smooth plains beneath the remote Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica. A team of researchers used seismic imaging to map the area …
Read more on New insights into the bed beneath remote Antarctic glacier
Scientists one step closer to predicting iceberg calving
16 April, 2024
Scientists are a step closer to being able to predict when large icebergs will calve in Antarctica. A team of glaciologists will present their new results at the European Geoscience …
Read more on Scientists one step closer to predicting iceberg calving
Antarctic Runway is upgraded to support UK hub for polar science
4 March, 2024
As part of the British Antarctic Survey’s Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme (AIMP), the runway at Rothera research station has successfully been resurfaced by construction company BAM and the design completed by Ramboll. The station is a major hub for international science in Antarctica, and this significant achievement is a pivotal moment for BAS and the UK’s future polar research capabilities.
Read more on Antarctic Runway is upgraded to support UK hub for polar science
Four new emperor penguin colonies found by satellite
24 January, 2024
Scientists from British Antarctic Survey have discovered four previously unknown emperor penguin breeding sites. Changing sea ice conditions along Antarctica’s coastline have forced several emperor colonies to move in search …
Read more on Four new emperor penguin colonies found by satellite
Team embarks on mission to investigate iceberg calving
8 January, 2024
Halley Research Station, Antarctica – A team of scientists from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is gearing up for an expedition to the Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica to unravel …
Read more on Team embarks on mission to investigate iceberg calving
RRS Sir David Attenborough samples A23a iceberg during climate science mission
4 December, 2023
ANTARCTICA: Scientists aboard the RRS Sir David Attenborough collected samples of seawater around the A23a mega iceberg, the largest iceberg in the world. New video footage shows the enormous iceberg, …
Read more on RRS Sir David Attenborough samples A23a iceberg during climate science mission
Construction first for British Antarctic Survey as specialist team fit-out new building over the Antarctic winter
27 November, 2023
Construction has begun in Antarctica for the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) with specialists arriving at Rothera Research Station to progress several projects to secure the future of polar operations and …
British Antarctic Survey unveils pilotless plane for testing in Antarctica
31 October, 2023
Polar science could reach new heights as researchers prepare to test the new Windracers ULTRA autonomous drone in Antarctica this season. A new, state-of-the-art autonomous drone capable of carrying a …
Read more on British Antarctic Survey unveils pilotless plane for testing in Antarctica
New threat to Antarctic fur seals
16 October, 2023
Antarctic fur seals that were hunted to near extinction have recovered but now face dangerous decline because of a lack of food, new research suggests. The study of fur seals, …
Antarctica’s glacial border moves for miles with the tide
26 September, 2023
New measurements of how the boundary between onshore glacier and floating ice shelf glides back-and- forth could help predict melting The grounding line of the southern Ronne Ice Shelf in …
Read more on Antarctica’s glacial border moves for miles with the tide
Supergiant iceberg makes surrounding ocean surface colder and less salty
21 September, 2023
The melting of the supergiant iceberg A-68 had a huge impact on the ocean around South Georgia, in sub-Antarctica, and significantly changed the Southern Ocean’s temperature and saltiness, with potentially …
Read more on Supergiant iceberg makes surrounding ocean surface colder and less salty
Brunt Ice Shelf speeds up after calving of giant iceberg
13 September, 2023
ANTARCTICA – Following the calving of the A-81 iceberg at the end of January 2023, the Brunt Ice Shelf is moving faster than before. It is currently moving approximately 4 …
Read more on Brunt Ice Shelf speeds up after calving of giant iceberg
Loss of sea ice causes catastrophic breeding failure for emperor penguins
24 August, 2023
Emperor penguin colonies experienced unprecedented breeding failure in a region of Antarctica where there was total sea ice loss in 2022. The discovery supports predictions that over 90% of emperor …
Read more on Loss of sea ice causes catastrophic breeding failure for emperor penguins
New Antarctic extremes ‘virtually certain’ as world warms
8 August, 2023
Extreme events in Antarctica such as ocean heatwaves and ice loss will almost certainly become more common and more severe, researchers say. With drastic action now needed to limit global …
Read more on New Antarctic extremes ‘virtually certain’ as world warms
Scientists set out benchmarks for extreme space weather
15 June, 2023
Extreme space weather threatens vital satellites orbiting the Earth, including the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) which pass through the heart of the outer radiation belt. New research led by …
Read more on Scientists set out benchmarks for extreme space weather
New map reflects ice loss and name changes
8 June, 2023
Dramatic changes in the Polar Regions are reflected in a new edition map of Antarctica and the Arctic produced by cartographers at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). The flagship printed …
Ground beneath Thwaites Glacier mapped for first time
31 May, 2023
The ground beneath Antarctica’s most vulnerable glacier has been mapped for the first time, helping scientists to better understand how it is being affected by climate change. Analysis of the …
Read more on Ground beneath Thwaites Glacier mapped for first time
Exterior complete for new Antarctic science and operations facility
3 April, 2023
A new scientific and operational support facility at Rothera Research Station for British Antarctic Survey has been made weathertight, with the cladding complete and an operations tower installed.
Read more on Exterior complete for new Antarctic science and operations facility
Microplastic found in Antarctic krill and salps
29 March, 2023
A new study led by researchers at British Antarctic Survey (BAS) discovered microplastics in krill (Euphausia superba), a small shrimp-like crustacean, and salps (Salpa thompsoni), a gelatinous marine invertebrate. The …
Read more on Microplastic found in Antarctic krill and salps
New close-up view of melting beneath Thwaites Glacier
15 February, 2023
The rapid retreat of Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica appears to be driven by different processes under its floating ice shelf than researchers previously understood. Novel observations from where the …
Read more on New close-up view of melting beneath Thwaites Glacier
RRS Sir David Attenborough begins polar science trials
31 January, 2023
The UK’s new polar ship RRS Sir David Attenborough begins its polar science trials in Antarctica this week. A team of 30 national and international scientists, engineers and technical staff …
Read more on RRS Sir David Attenborough begins polar science trials
Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica calves giant iceberg
23 January, 2023
ANTARCTICA – 23 January 2023. A huge iceberg (1550 km²), almost the size of Greater London, has broken off the 150m thick Brunt Ice Shelf. It calved after cracks that …
Read more on Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica calves giant iceberg
New emperor penguin colony discovered
20 January, 2023
Scientists have discovered a new emperor penguin colony in Antarctica using satellite mapping technology. This new colony makes a total of 62 known emperor penguin colonies around the coastline of …
Underwater tsunamis created by glacier calving
23 November, 2022
Scientists on a research vessel in Antarctica watched the front of a glacier disintegrate and their measurements ‘went off the scale’. As well as witnessing disruptions on the ocean surface, …
AI tool to revolutionise polar ship navigation
15 November, 2022
Artificial Intelligence (AI) will enable ships navigating in polar ocean conditions to be more efficient using a new route planning tool created by British Antarctic Survey (BAS) researchers. The tool …
Climate change to increase lifetime of space pollution
18 October, 2022
Satellites face greater chances of collision with space debris as a result of reduced density in the upper atmosphere. Increasing levels of CO2 in the Earth’s atmosphere will result in …
Read more on Climate change to increase lifetime of space pollution
Learning about the first animals from life at the poles
12 October, 2022
The amazing survival strategies of polar marine creatures might help to explain how the first animals on Earth could have evolved earlier than the oldest fossils suggest according to new …
Read more on Learning about the first animals from life at the poles
Ice age valleys give clues to future ice sheet change
5 October, 2022
Deep valleys buried under the seafloor of the North Sea record how the ancient ice sheets that used to cover the UK and Europe expelled water to stop themselves from …
Read more on Ice age valleys give clues to future ice sheet change
Scientists expose vulnerabilities of critical Antarctic ice shelf
21 September, 2022
Pine Island Ice Shelf in West Antarctica, which holds back enough ice to raise sea levels by 0.5 metres, could be more vulnerable to complete disintegration than previously thought. A …
Read more on Scientists expose vulnerabilities of critical Antarctic ice shelf
High levels of pollutants in Antarctic snow
28 July, 2022
Scientists have recorded markedly increased levels of ‘fluorinated forever chemicals’ in Antarctic snow which are thought to have originated from the use of CFC-replacements.
Scientists begin work counting Arctic walrus
13 July, 2022
Researchers are heading to the Arctic to begin fieldwork to study walrus populations for the next stage in the Walrus from Space project.
Experts predict future biodiversity threats
7 July, 2022
A new study featuring contributions from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) scientists has predicted the top emerging threats to ocean biodiversity over the coming decades.
Report highlights changes in Antarctica
24 May, 2022
A new report published today (Tuesday 24 May) sends a strong message to countries responsible for Antarctic governance meeting this week in Berlin, that there’s a need for urgent action on minimising climate change impacts in Antarctica and their far-reaching global consequences.
Couple tie the knot in Antarctica
25 April, 2022
RRS Sir David Attenborough stewards Eric Bourne and Stephen Carpenter, tied the knot yesterday (Sunday 24 April) at British Antarctic Survey’s (BAS) Rothera Research Station. It is the first same-sex …
New aircraft investment supports polar science
21 April, 2022
On 17 March 2022, Professor Dame Jane Francis, Director of the British Antarctic Survey, Nigel Bird, Director of Major Programmes at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Brian Love, Chief …
New link between greenhouse gases and sea-level rise
6 April, 2022
Researchers have used advanced ocean modelling techniques to reveal how greenhouse gas emissions contribute to warmer oceans and resulting melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.
Read more on New link between greenhouse gases and sea-level rise
RRS Sir David Attenborough completes ice trials
31 March, 2022
The RRS Sir David Attenborough completes ice trials during its maiden voyage to Antarctica – a critical milestone in the commissioning of Britain’s new polar ship. This is the first …
Read more on RRS Sir David Attenborough completes ice trials
‘Mega iceberg’ releases billions of tonnes of fresh water into ocean
20 January, 2022
Scientists monitoring the giant A68a iceberg from space reveal that a huge amount of fresh water was released as it melted around the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia. An …
Read more on ‘Mega iceberg’ releases billions of tonnes of fresh water into ocean
Invasive species ‘hitchhiking’ on ships threaten Antarctica’s unique ecosystems
10 January, 2022
Marine life hitching a ride on ocean-crossing ships poses a threat to Antarctica’s pristine ecosystems, with the potential for invasive species to arrive from almost anywhere across the globe, say …
Read more on Invasive species ‘hitchhiking’ on ships threaten Antarctica’s unique ecosystems
Abundance of life discovered beneath an Antarctic ice shelf
20 December, 2021
Far beneath the ice shelves of the Antarctic, there is more marine life than expected, finds a recent study in the journal Current Biology, published this week (20 December 2021). …
Read more on Abundance of life discovered beneath an Antarctic ice shelf
New polar ship makes London debut
28 October, 2021
RRS Sir David Attenborough visits London as pre-COP event ahead of first mission to Antarctica. The UK’s new polar research ship is making its London debut in Greenwich (Thursday 28 October …
WALRUS FROM SPACE: Animal spotters wanted to join mass survey!
14 October, 2021
British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and WWF are seeking the public’s help to search for walrus in thousands of satellite images taken from space, with the aim of learning more about …
Read more on WALRUS FROM SPACE: Animal spotters wanted to join mass survey!
Scientists reconstruct past history of largest ice shelf on Antarctic Peninsula
19 May, 2021
For the first time, geological records have been used to reconstruct the history of Larsen C Ice Shelf in Antarctica. The ice shelf is the largest remaining remnant of a …
Read more on Scientists reconstruct past history of largest ice shelf on Antarctic Peninsula
Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica calves
26 February, 2021
A huge iceberg (1270 km²) the size of the county of Bedfordshire has broken off the 150-m thick Brunt Ice Shelf, almost a decade after scientists at British Antarctic Survey …
Robotic gliders deployed on giant iceberg mission
17 February, 2021
Scientists have completed the first phase of a research mission to determine the impact of the giant A-68a iceberg on one of the world’s most important ecosystems. A team of …
Read more on Robotic gliders deployed on giant iceberg mission
Discovery of life beneath Antarctica’s ice shelves
15 February, 2021
Far underneath the ice shelves of the Antarctic, there’s more life than expected, finds a recent study in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, published this week (15 February 2021). …
Read more on Discovery of life beneath Antarctica’s ice shelves
Giant iceberg mission begins
2 February, 2021
A research mission to determine the impact of the giant A-68a iceberg on one of the world’s most important ecosystems departs from Stanley in the Falkland Islands today (2 February …
Construction starts at UK’s largest Antarctic research hub
11 January, 2021
The next stage of building a scientific support facility in Antarctica begins this week [11 January 2020]. To avoid the risk of introducing COVID-19 to British Antarctic Survey’s (BAS) Rothera …
Read more on Construction starts at UK’s largest Antarctic research hub
Southern Hemisphere westerly winds likely to intensify as climate warms
9 December, 2020
Polar climate scientists have created the most high resolution past record of the Southern Hemisphere westerly winds. The results, published this week (9 December) in the journal Communications Earth and …
Read more on Southern Hemisphere westerly winds likely to intensify as climate warms
Krill provide a highway for ocean carbon storage
27 November, 2020
Large krill swarms in the Southern Ocean could help remove additional carbon from the atmosphere, in a way that is currently ‘hidden’ in global models. Scientists knew that the carbon-rich …
Read more on Krill provide a highway for ocean carbon storage
Blue whales return to South Georgia after near extinction
19 November, 2020
An international research team led by UK scientists has revealed the return of critically endangered Antarctic blue whales to the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia, 50 years after whaling all …
Read more on Blue whales return to South Georgia after near extinction
RRS Sir David Attenborough departs Cammell Laird for technical sea trials
21 October, 2020
BIRKENHEAD. Today (Wednesday 21 October) the UK’s most advanced polar research ship – RRS Sir David Attenborough – leaves Cammell Laird shipyard for two weeks of technical sea trials. In …
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Deep channels link ocean to Antarctic glacier
9 September, 2020
Newly discovered deep seabed channels beneath Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica may be the pathway for warm ocean water to melt the underside of the ice. Data from two research …
Past evidence supports complete loss of Arctic sea-ice by 2035
10 August, 2020
A new study, published this week in the journal Nature Climate Change, supports predictions that the Arctic could be free of sea ice by 2035. High temperatures in the Arctic …
Read more on Past evidence supports complete loss of Arctic sea-ice by 2035
Scientists discover new penguin colonies from space
5 August, 2020
A new study using satellite mapping technology reveals there are nearly 20% more emperor penguin colonies in Antarctica than was previously thought. The results provide an important benchmark for monitoring …
Read more on Scientists discover new penguin colonies from space
Antarctic sea ice loss explained in new study
17 June, 2020
Scientists have discovered that summer sea ice in the Weddell Sea area of Antarctica has decreased by one million square kilometres – an area twice the size of Spain – …
Antarctic homecoming – responding to COVID-19
6 June, 2020
Over the next few days, British Antarctic Survey (BAS) research and support teams will return from Antarctica to UK after a 20-day sea voyage on board a charter ship and …
Sub-Antarctic island celebrates Shackleton Day with New Wharf for the RRS Sir David Attenborough
20 May, 2020
The completion marks the latest milestone for the £140m UK Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme commissioned by UKRI-NERC and undertaken by the British Antarctic Survey. Surrounded by spectacular scenery, dominated by …
Migratory secrets of recovering whale species
20 May, 2020
Scientists have discovered where a whale species that feeds around the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia breeds during the winter months. This understanding of where the animals migrate from will …
Plastic Pollution reaching Antarctica
28 April, 2020
Food wrapping, fishing gear and plastic waste continue to reach the Antarctic. Two new studies into how plastic debris is reaching sub-Antarctic islands are published in the journal Environment International. …
Scientists drill for first time on remote Antarctic Glacier
28 January, 2020
Teams from the US and UK have successfully completed scientific fieldwork in one of the most remote and hostile areas of West Antarctica – coinciding with the 200th anniversary of …
Read more on Scientists drill for first time on remote Antarctic Glacier