Antarctic expedition to study krill stocks
21 March, 2024
An expedition to study Antarctic krill and the baleen whales that feed upon them is underway in the Antarctic Peninsula. The team of researchers, who departed the UK a fortnight …
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21 March, 2024
An expedition to study Antarctic krill and the baleen whales that feed upon them is underway in the Antarctic Peninsula. The team of researchers, who departed the UK a fortnight …
19 March, 2024
Scientists are invited to apply to conduct research on the British Antarctic Survey research vessel RRS Sir David Attenborough in May-June 2025. The research ship will undertake two trips between …
Read more on Opportunity to work on RRS Sir David Attenborough
19 March, 2024
Chefs, plumbers and electricians wanted to work in Antarctica. British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is looking for new recruits to work at its research stations in Antarctica. Skilled carpenters, chefs, electricians, …
Read more on Are these the COOLEST jobs in the world? Probably.
11 March, 2024
SOUTH GEORGIA. Update, March 2024 – Penguins on the sub-Antarctic Islands of South Georgia have tested positive for Avian flu. This is the first time the virus has been detected …
Read more on Penguins test positive for Avian Flu on South Georgia
5 March, 2024
Small bubbles of air from ice in Antarctica resolve a long-standing debate about why there was a decline in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) during the 16th and 17th centuries. The …
29 February, 2024
We’ve been modernising our Antarctic infrastructure for future generations of polar scientists. Construction in the Antarctic is challenging and the Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme (AIMP) has made great progress at …
27 February, 2024
A new study, involving researchers from British Antarctic Survey, has found that significant thinning and retreat of the vast Thwaites Glacier began in the 1940s. Accelerating ice loss has been …
Read more on Significant glacial retreat in West Antarctica began in 1940s
23 February, 2024
The final field season of the ambitious, international effort to understand Antarctica’s giant Thwaites Glacier is complete. Teams of scientists and support staff with the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration (ITGC) …
22 February, 2024
A team testing the Windracers ULTRA drone in Antarctica has shared the first video footage of the aircraft flying autonomously over British Antarctic Survey’s (BAS) Rothera Research Station and its …
Read more on First flights of uncrewed aircraft in Antarctica
21 February, 2024
Engineers Tania Alvarez and Jose Valverde have celebrated their engagement at one of the world’s southmost locations, British Antarctic Survey’s Rothera Research Station on the Antarctic peninsula.
Read more on Love on Ice: Engineers’ Antarctic Engagement Sparks Warmth
19 February, 2024
SOUTH GEORGIA. Update, February 2024 – Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) continues to affect the wildlife on the subantarctic islands of South Georgia. The latest results from samples taken from …
Read more on Avian flu now detected in albatrosses on South Georgia
14 February, 2024
Scientists studying krill in the sub-Antarctic have successfully completed a three-day mission using a Sailbuoy uncrewed surface vessel (USV). This mission marks the first Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) approved …
Read more on Sailbuoy Ahoy! Uncrewed surface vessel launched in South Georgia
14 February, 2024
Communities of microorganisms at the bottom of polar lakes evolved independently from other regions, influenced by the particular geological, biological and climate history of their regions. The unique character of …
Read more on DNA reveals unique microorganisms evolved at poles
12 February, 2024
Sea urchins exposed to diluted seawater for long periods show signs of physical deterioration, according to scientists from British Antarctic Survey, the University of Cambridge and the Scottish Association for …
8 February, 2024
The first direct evidence that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet shrank suddenly and dramatically at the end of the Last Ice Age, around eight thousand years ago, is published in …
Read more on Ice cores reveal rapid Antarctic ice loss in the past
3 February, 2024
A team have arrived at Rothera Research Station, ready to start testing the new Windracers ULTRA autonomous drone in Antarctica. If successful, the new drone platform could represent a major …
Read more on Pilotless plane test crew arrives in Antarctica
30 January, 2024
The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) will build a new unique science facility at its UK Cambridge headquarters, enabling scientists to understand how organisms that live in cold polar environments evolved …
Read more on New science facility to unveil mysteries of animal life in Antarctica
29 January, 2024
A study published this month in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science reveals that disturbing the seabed, through activities such as trawling, could increase the scale and speed of climate …
Read more on Disturbing the seabed could make climate change worse
23 January, 2024
A team of scientists are embarking on an ambitious 30-day scientific expedition on board RRS Sir David Attenborough to investigate how carbon dioxide moves and transforms in the Southern Ocean. …
Read more on New research mission on board polar ship set to unlock Southern Ocean’s carbon secrets
23 January, 2024
Scientists at British Antarctic Survey have found that the number of warm weather events in the South Orkney Islands have significantly increased in frequency over the last 75 years. Using …
Read more on Scientists chart the growing weather extremes on maritime Antarctic islands
20 January, 2024
Researchers from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have carried out aerial surveys of the remote volcanic Zavodovski Island in the sub-Antarctic to count the largest penguin colony in the world. …
Read more on Scientists count penguins on remote sub-Antarctic island
16 January, 2024
Scientists at British Antarctic Survey are using satellite images to track the colossal iceberg A23a. This new animation shows the recent trajectory of the A23a iceberg as it moves north …
Read more on New animation shows track of giant A23a iceberg
11 January, 2024
SOUTH GEORGIA Update, January 2024 – Testing for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) continues on the subantarctic island of South Georgia since it was detected in October 2023. The latest …
Read more on Avian flu continues to affect wildlife on South Georgia
10 January, 2024
Scientists have identified the intricate meteorological drivers that led to an intense heatwave across East Antarctica in from 15-19 March 2022. The heatwave, which affected an area of the size …
Read more on Extreme heatwave in East Antarctica caused by record-breaking ‘atmospheric river’
9 January, 2024
Congratulations to British Antarctic Survey (BAS) staff who have been awarded a Polar Medal in the 2024 New Year’s Honours List for their contributions to improving our understanding of Antarctica …
22 December, 2023
Scientists, including from British Antarctic Survey, have used octopus DNA to discover that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) likely collapsed during the Last Interglacial period around 120,000 years ago …
7 December, 2023
Thirty seven scientists and over 24 support staff are arriving in Antarctica to work on Thwaites Glacier. They are part of the ambitious international effort to understand the glacier and …
6 December, 2023
The Royal Society Publishing Photography Competition celebrates the power of photography in capturing scientific phenomena happening all around us, and the role great images play in making science accessible to …
30 November, 2023
Leading UK climate science organisations are driving forwards a national alliance focused on climate solutions for society, led by new co-directors including Professor Michael Meredith from British Antarctic Survey (BAS). …
Read more on Next phase of national climate science partnership
28 November, 2023
Scientists are warning that apparently stable glaciers in Antarctica can change rapidly and lose large quantities of ice as a result of warmer oceans. Using satellite data, a team discovered …
Read more on Scientists track rapid retreat of Antarctic glacier
23 November, 2023
Researchers are using a new AI tool to detect icebergs in the Southern Ocean. This is the first step towards scientists being able to track the complete life cycle of …
20 November, 2023
Last month, October 2023, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) was confirmed on Bird Island, South Georgia in the brown skua populations. Since then, a number of other cases of symptomatic …
Read more on Additional cases of Avian Flu confirmed on South Georgia
20 November, 2023
A team of international researchers set sail on the RRS Sir David Attenborough today (20 November) to answer some of the big questions about how Antarctic ecosystems and sea ice …
15 November, 2023
Since Antarctica has no indigenous human populations to give names to landmarks, the UK Antarctic Place-names Committee provides advice on place-naming in the British Antarctic Territory, adhering to international principles …
13 November, 2023
Antarctica Live Lessons, a new and exciting learning resource, launches today (13 November). Aimed at engaging and inspiring the imaginations of young learners, the platform introduces an array of live, …
Read more on New ‘live lessons’ offer interactive learning for kids
8 November, 2023
A research mission to Antarctica will study the effects of global warming on the West Antarctic ice sheet. The mission is part of an international research programme, which includes researchers …
Read more on Team heads for Antarctica to study global warming effects
23 October, 2023
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed in brown skua populations on Bird Island, South Georgia – the first known cases in the Antarctic region. Following reports of several …
Read more on First confirmed cases of Avian Influenza in the Antarctic region
19 October, 2023
The Antarctic field season has started, with over 600 people beginning the journey South to work on over 60 projects on station and in the field. The season of work …
Read more on 2023-2024 field season begins for British Antarctic Survey
18 October, 2023
More than 200 scientists, including several from British Antarctic Survey (BAS), from 19 countries have released the first comprehensive assessment of trends in Southern Ocean ecosystems, in a report written …
18 October, 2023
The shortlist has been announced for The Natural Environment Research Council’s (NERC) Impact Awards 2023. Four BAS projects have made the shortlist and commended list, ranging from biodiversity and ecology …
17 October, 2023
Congratulations to our Estates and Facilities Team who have won the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management’s (IFWM) Impact Awards 2023 under the “Team of the Year: Public Sector” category. …
Read more on Estates and Facilities Team win prestigious award
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, …
25 September, 2023
British Antarctic Survey scientists are called up for their expertise this season, in a series of documentaries on radio and television. Secrets of our Universe with Tim Peake, Channel 5 …
Read more on British Antarctic Survey on Radio & TV this Autumn
6 September, 2023
A new study of northern gannets has found that individual birds are left or right winged. The study, published in in Biology Letters, is the first to demonstrate ‘handedness’ in …
Read more on Left or right winged? Handedness in diving northern gannets
4 September, 2023
Scientists studying Arctic warming have shared new evidence that sea salt aerosols from “blowing snow” play a significant role in forming clouds that reflect solar radiation back to the Earth’s …
Read more on Clouds formed with sea salt contribute to Arctic warming
28 August, 2023
Climate change is affecting the vertical migration of zooplankton in the Arctic, with potential implications for the entire Arctic ecosystem, finds a new study, published today in Nature Climate Change. …
Read more on Retreating sea ice keeps zooplankton in the depths
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
22 August, 2023
An Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) was deployed from the RRS Sir David Attenborough (SDA) for the first time last week. The Gavia Offshore Surveyor, named Freya, was deployed from the …
18 August, 2023
Today, hundreds of international scientists are sounding a clarion call for urgent expansion of Southern Ocean research in the emerging climate crisis. 300 scientists from 25 nations have been meeting …
17 August, 2023
Researchers from British Antarctic Survey are heading to the Canadian Arctic this week to learn more about the impacts of increasing ship traffic in Inuit Nunangat. In recent years, climate …
28 July, 2023
Further trials are underway on RRS Sir David Attenborough in preparation for its first Antarctic science cruise. Over the coming weeks, the crew and scientists on board will be carrying …
17 July, 2023
In a significant milestone for Antarctic research, detailed and extensive information on ice thickness and bed topography is now available for the first time in a centralised and standardised format. …
14 July, 2023
The UK Poet Laureate Simon Armitage CBE has travelled to the UK Arctic Research Station, where he will create new works inspired by the visit. While hosted at the UK …
Read more on Poet Laureate visits UK Arctic Research Station
12 July, 2023
This month, British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and the Dutch Research Council NWO, on behalf of the Netherlands Polar Programme (NPP), accepted the renewal of the longstanding scientific cooperation agreement to …
10 July, 2023
How do you spot an invader you can’t see in a harsh and unforgiving environment? A team of international scientists are looking for new methods to defend the frozen continent …
Read more on DNA Detectives: New ways to spot Southern Ocean hitchhikers
4 July, 2023
Plastic pollution accumulating in international waters poses a serious risk to marine life, including a number of threatened bird species. A huge team of scientists studied the global movements of …
Read more on Threatened sea birds visit plastic pollution hot spots
30 June, 2023
An international team of researchers has sequenced the genomes of 24 Antarctic fish species to investigate how they survive the extreme cold. The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, …
27 June, 2023
Researchers have discovered a flesh-eating fish is in major decline – by looking at the stomach content of some of the world’s largest bird, albatrosses. The Patagonian Lamprey, Geotria macrostoma, …
Read more on Bird diet sampling helps uncover the lives of living fossils
19 June, 2023
The British Antarctic Survey (BAS), launches its new ten-year science strategy today (19 June) that addresses urgent scientific challenges facing our world, namely in the continents of the Arctic and …
Read more on Polar Science for a Sustainable Planet: new science strategy
12 June, 2023
Antarctic Bottom Water is the coldest, densest water mass on the planet and plays a pivotal role in regulating the ocean’s ability to store heat and capture carbon. In a …
Read more on Deep ocean waters in Antarctica are shrinking and warming
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
30 May, 2023
The West Antarctic Ice Sheet is shrinking, with many glaciers across the region retreating and melting at an alarming rate. However, this was not always the case according to new …
Read more on Rocks beneath Antarctic Ice Sheet reveal surprising past
22 May, 2023
Natural Environment Research Council’s pioneering Pushing the Frontiers scheme has funded four projects led by scientists from British Antarctic Survey (BAS). The projects, which received grants totaling £3.8m, are part …
Read more on BAS science funded by Pushing the Frontiers scheme
19 May, 2023
GeoMAP Antarctica, an open-access and comprehensive geological mapping database of Antarctica, was released today in Nature Scientific Data. Understanding Antarctica’s geosphere is, and has been, critical for understanding the continent’s …
Read more on New map unlocks deep digital data of Antarctica’s history
15 May, 2023
Shelled pteropods, commonly known as sea butterflies, are increasingly exposed to ocean changes, but some species are more vulnerable to this threat. In a new study, published this month (11 …
Read more on Sea butterfly life cycle threatened by climate change
13 May, 2023
Scientists are tracking a group of young black-browed albatross, who have begun their first epic journeys across the Southern Ocean. In April 2023, 26 young black-browed albatross on Bird Island …
Read more on Scientists track the epic flight of fledged albatross
12 May, 2023
Modernising Antarctic Infrastructure for Future Generations of Polar Scientists Specialist construction teams are travelling home to the UK after five months of work in Antarctica to modernise British Antarctic Survey …
11 May, 2023
The 2022/23 Antarctic field season has ended, marking the conclusion of another successful year of scientific exploration in one of the world’s most remote and challenging environments. This field season, …
Read more on British Antarctic Survey completes Antarctic field season
8 May, 2023
A series of studies on the Southern Ocean, which encircles Antarctica, reveal how it is changing. A special issue of the Journal Proceedings of the Royal Society, led by the …
21 April, 2023
Climate, biodiversity, and societal challenges are intrinsically linked and yet are usually viewed in isolation. A new review study, published in the journal Science this week (21st April 2023), focusses …
Read more on Tackling climate change and biodiversity loss together
21 March, 2023
A new study highlights how extreme snowfall events significantly alter the amount of ice lost by the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. A team of scientists from British Antarctic Survey, along …
Read more on Extreme snowfall in West Antarctica driving sea-level rise
13 March, 2023
ANTARCTICA – 13 March 2023. British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has released the first aerial pictures of the massive A81 iceberg that calved from the Brunt Ice Shelf in late January. …
Read more on First images of giant iceberg from Brunt Ice Shelf
28 February, 2023
Global challenges due to COVID-19 have impacted research, fieldwork, facilities and infrastructure in the polar regions, resulting in an accumulation of funded projects to be supported. NERC is committed to …
12 February, 2023
It is with deep sorrow we report the death of Emeritus Fellow, Professor David Vaughan. He was suffering from cancer and passed away peacefully at home on Thursday 9 February …
7 February, 2023
Scientists in East Antarctica drilling to find the Earth’s oldest ice have reached a key milestone after two months of fieldwork in sub-zero temperatures. The team is part of Beyond …
Read more on Oldest ice drilling campaign reaches key milestone
3 February, 2023
A team of scientists are currently conducting a major experiment over the Southern Ocean that will help to improve climate modelling. The Southern Ocean Clouds project team are performing several …
Read more on Flying campaign to improve climate modelling begins
2 February, 2023
Researchers at British Antarctic Survey (BAS) will develop new and ambitious ideas to tackle critical global environmental challenges, such as global sea-level rise from Antarctica, thanks to new funding. The …
Read more on New funding to predict future sea-level rise in Antarctica
19 January, 2023
A project studying the at-sea distributions of white-chinned petrels from South Georgia is now running for a second season – and early data suggest there are important differences in foraging …
Read more on Vulnerable seabirds tracking reveals foraging patterns
16 January, 2023
This week (17 January) British Antarctic Survey and WWF are inviting the public to become ‘walrus detectives’ and get involved in the Walrus from Space project to help with vital …
Read more on ‘Walrus detectives’ sought for conservation science
13 January, 2023
Congratulations to BAS staff who have been awarded a Polar Medal in the 2023 New Year’s Honours List for their scientific work or their technical support for science, in order …
3 January, 2023
Applications to carry out small-scale research projects in the Antarctic in the 2023/24 season are invited from UK-based researchers through the Collaborative Antarctic Science Scheme (CASS). The Collaborative Antarctic Science …
Read more on Opportunities for Antarctic research – apply now
22 December, 2022
Colleagues and collaborators from across the globe will celebrate the festive season together at British Antarctic Survey’s five research stations in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic, along with festivities onboard the …
20 December, 2022
An ambitious flying campaign out of British Antarctic Survey’s Rothera Research Station over the Weddell Sea this month (December) aims to calibrate the data collected from two important satellites that …
Read more on Flying campaign to future-proof sea ice measurements
13 December, 2022
Nearly 60 scientists and support staff are on their way to Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica. It’s part of an ambitious international effort to understand the glacier and surrounding ocean …
10 December, 2022
Babcock International’s Rosyth shipyard today has been awarded £45 million to maintain the UK’s fleet of three scientific research vessels – including RRS Sir David Attenborough. The three vessels are …
Read more on New refit yard announced for RRS Sir David Attenborough
7 December, 2022
Scientists return to East Antarctica this month (December) to locate the oldest ice on Earth. The team is part of an EU-funded research consortium from 10 European countries whose aim …
2 December, 2022
The next phase of the Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation programme (AIMP) is set to begin with a 6-month construction season at Rothera Research Station. The station is the UK’s largest Antarctic research and operations hub that supports leading researchers in frontier science in the region.
Read more on New season begins for Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation programme
2 December, 2022
A new album transporting listeners on a journey to the Sun and inspired by ‘sounds’ captured in space and on the ground shows the magic created when science and the …
Read more on ‘Sounds’ of the sun inspire an extraordinary new album
30 November, 2022
Global warming and ocean acidification are threatening marine organisms, such as corals, bryozoans, molluscs, sea urchins or crustaceans, that build their skeletons and shells with calcium carbonate (chalk) according to …
28 November, 2022
Over half of wandering albatrosses breeding on Bird Island, in the sub-Antarctic, encounter fishing vessels when feeding, putting them at risk of being accidentally caught or killed in fishing gear, …
Read more on Research shows ‘danger zones’ for wandering albatrosses
24 November, 2022
Today, 24 November 2022, marks World Walrus Day, and British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and WWF are inviting the British public to become ‘walrus detectives’ and get involved in their Walrus …
Read more on Calling for ‘Walrus Detectives’ on World Walrus Day
18 November, 2022
Today (18 November) British Antarctic Survey (BAS) joins global celebrations to mark LGBTQIA+ STEM DAY and Polar Pride Day. Polar Pride is a celebration of the contribution of LGBTQIA+ people in polar research …
17 November, 2022
Next generation fixed-wing drones, capable of operating autonomously beyond the standard visual line of sight, are creating datasets of major wildlife populations around South Georgia for long-term monitoring to aid …
Read more on Drones survey wildlife populations in remote Sub-Antarctic island
17 November, 2022
Britain’s new polar research ship, the RRS Sir David Attenborough, departs the UK next week (Tuesday 22 November) for its second voyage to Antarctica. The ship departs Harwich on 20 …
Read more on RRS Sir David Attenborough departs for Antarctica
7 November, 2022
British Antarctic Survey (BAS) scientists will participate in the 27th session of the United National Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP27), hosted by the Arab Republic of …
3 November, 2022
Our Antarctic field season has begun, with a challenging and ambitious range of projects to be delivered at five British Antarctic Survey (BAS) research stations and across the wider continent. …
Read more on British Antarctic Survey’s 2022-2023 field season begins
2 November, 2022
The British Antarctic Survey and its partners are launching a drawing competition for schools, to inspire the next generation of polar engineers, scientists and explorers. School children between the ages …
14 October, 2022
Scientists have discovered one million year old marine DNA in deep-sea sediments of the Scotia Sea, north of the Antarctic continent. This is the oldest DNA recovered of this kind …
Read more on Oldest marine DNA discovered in Antarctic sediments