Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica calves new iceberg
A large iceberg (380 km2), about the size of the Isle of Wight, has broken off the 150m-thick Brunt Ice Shelf. It broke off after a crack suddenly appeared in the ice shelf a few weeks ago. The final break happened in the early hours of Monday, 20 Ma.....»»
Leave policies can disadvantage women in tough times
Female employees with access to family leave policies bear the brunt of economic downturns, according to a new study......»»
Hunting for the elusive: IceCube observes seven potential tau neutrinos
Researchers at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica have found seven signals that could potentially indicate tau neutrinos—which are famously hard to detect—from astrophysical objects......»»
Feedback loop that is melting ice shelves in West Antarctica revealed
New research has uncovered a feedback loop that may be accelerating the melting of the floating portions of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, pushing up global sea levels......»»
Climate change is wiping out rare bacteria in a "greening" Antarctica
Plenty is known about the existential threat of climate change to plants and animals. But by comparison, we know very little about how microorganisms will be affected by climate change......»»
Marine plankton behavior could predict future marine extinctions, study finds
Marine communities migrated to Antarctica during the Earth's warmest period in 66 million years long before a mass-extinction event......»»
Giant rogue waves: Southern Ocean expedition reveals wind as key cause
A University of Melbourne expedition to the southernmost waters encircling Antarctica has discovered that wind drives the formation of colossal rogue waves, and that these unpredictable waves occur more frequently than scientists had previously thoug.....»»
The limits of ice: What a 19th-century expedition trapped in sea ice for a year tells us about Antarctica"s future
In 1897, the former whaling ship RV Belgica left Antwerp in Belgium and set sail due south. It was the first voyage of what would become known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic exploration. It did not go to plan......»»
Heat from El Niño can warm oceans off West Antarctica—and melt floating ice shelves from below
As snow falls on Antarctica, layers build up and turn to ice. Over time, this compressed snow has become a continent-sized glacier, or ice sheet. It's enormous—almost double the size of Australia and far larger than the continental United States......»»
Microplastic concentrations in Antarctic seawater higher than previously estimated
Microplastic particles can be found in the most remote ocean regions on Earth. In Antarctica, pollution levels are even higher than previously assumed. This is one finding of a recent study involving researchers from the University of Basel......»»
These Women Came to Antarctica for Science. Then the Predators Emerged
Jane Willenbring was the first to blow the whistle on sexual harassment and assault in Antarctica. Years later, women are still coming forward with tales of horror as a government investigation unfolds......»»
Largest ice shelf in Antarctica lurches forward once or twice each day
In Antarctica, heavy glaciers are always on the move. Conveyor belts of ice, known as ice streams, are the corridors of faster flow that carry most of the vast glaciers' ice and sediment debris out toward the ocean......»»
Milk on ice: Antarctic time capsule of whole milk powder sheds light on the enduring qualities of dairy products
In a remarkable discovery, whole milk powder manufactured in New Zealand in 1907 and transported to Antarctica with explorers seeking the South Pole was unveiled after more than a century. The findings have allowed dairy researchers to answer the que.....»»
Antarctic sea ice near historic lows: Arctic ice continues decline
Sea ice at both the top and bottom of the planet continued its decline in 2024. In the waters around Antarctica, ice coverage shrank to near-historic lows for the third year in a row. The recurring loss hints at a long-term shift in conditions in the.....»»
We have revealed a unique time capsule of Australia"s first coastal people from 50,000 years ago
Barrow Island, located 60 kilometers off the Pilbara in Western Australia, was once a hill overlooking an expansive coast. This was the northwestern shelf of the Australian continent, now permanently submerged by the ocean......»»
Climate change is speeding up in Antarctica
In recent years, Antarctica has experienced a series of unprecedented heat waves. On 6 February 2020, temperatures of 18.3°C were recorded, the highest ever seen on the continent, beating the previous record of 17.5°C which had only been set a few.....»»
Elephant calves have been found buried. What does that mean?
The myth of elephant graveyards has pervaded popular culture, and recent observations of buried Asian elephant calves may finally give that legend some credence......»»
Whale of a tail: Scientists track unique humpback "fingerprint"
In Antarctica, a scientist waits patiently for two frolicking humpback whales to poke their tails out of the icy waters so she can take a photographic "fingerprint" of the unique colors and patterns that allow researchers to identify individuals of t.....»»
Polar plastic: 97% of sampled Antarctic seabirds found to have ingested microplastics
Anthropogenic plastic pollution is often experienced through evocative images of marine animals caught in floating debris, yet its reach is far more expansive. The polar regions of the Arctic and Antarctica are increasingly experiencing the impacts o.....»»
The lows and lows of Antarctic sea ice
Data from the US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) have revealed another summer of exceptionally low sea-ice extent around Antarctica......»»
Antarctica"s coasts are becoming less icy, researchers find
An increase in pockets of open water in Antarctica's sea ice (polynyas) may mean coastal plants and animals could one day establish on the continent, University of Otago-led research suggests......»»