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Category: Science and engineering
My summer of science: internships at British Antarctic Survey
16 August, 2024 Jason White
This summer British Antarctic Survey (BAS) hosted two paid internships through the 10,000 Black Interns scheme. We are committed to creating a workplace that is fair and inclusive and where …
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Sailbuoy Ahoy! Uncrewed surface vessel launched in 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 …
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BAS staff awarded the Polar Medal 2024
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 …
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 …
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Using AI to track icebergs
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 …
Benefits of 3D printing on board the RRS Sir David Attenborough
4 October, 2023 Ralph Stevens
Traditionally when working in a remote environment, we fall back on wood and glue to repair and modify parts onboard the RRS Sir David Attenborough. Quite often, the plastic components …
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Polar engineers keep our world running!
23 June, 2023 Elen Jones
Elen Jones joined British Antarctic Survey as the Director of the Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme in April 2022 after 20 years as an Electrical Engineer in the railway, aerospace and construction industries. For this year’s International Day for Women in Engineering, Elen reflects on her experiences and the importance of encouraging others to join the field of engineering.
BAS staff awarded the Polar Medal
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 …
Antarctica drawing competition launches
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 …
Blog: Socioeconomic diversity in Polar Science
26 September, 2022 Martin Siegert
Professor Martin Siegert is a glaciologist at Imperial College London and co-director of the Grantham Institute. He’s co-Chair of the Diversity in Polar Science Initiative and Chair of the UK …
Polar ship begins science trials
23 August, 2022
RRS Sir David Attenborough begins its second leg of science trials this week (22 August 2022). Britain’s new polar ship will depart Belfast today for its second leg of science …
Antarctic infrastructure for net zero
7 July, 2022 Natalia Ford
This week is Net Zero Week, an opportunity for all of us to reflect on what we can do to help mitigate the worst effects of climate change. The work being done at BAS to help pave the road to net zero though continues year-round and there are many exciting initiatives planned and underway to support our net zero targets.
Heat source melting Greenland Ice Sheet discovered
21 February, 2022
A new study has found that the world’s second-largest ice sheet is generating huge amounts of heat. Researchers including BAS oceanographer Dr Keith Nicholls have observed extremely high rates of melting at the bottom of the Greenland Ice Sheet.
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Drilling of oldest ice on Earth completed
18 February, 2022
The first ice core drilling campaign of Beyond Epica-Oldest Ice has been successfully completed at the remote Little Dome C site in Antarctica – one of the most extreme places …
Happy at Halley
2 February, 2022 Emily Neville
Neil Brims is the Electrician at Halley VI Research Station. In our latest blog, find out what life is like at Halley and how it feels to live at the …
From Inverness to Antarctica: meeting (supply chain) milestones
27 January, 2022 Joseph Stebbing
Joe Stebbing, Assistant Project Manager, AIMP at British Antarctic Survey on how we are meeting our (supply chain) milestones. January has marked a momentous milestone for the Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation …
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RRS Sir David Attenborough arrives in Antarctica for the first time
17 December, 2021
Britain’s new polar research vessel, the RRS Sir David Attenborough, has travelled to Antarctica on its maiden voyage, with its first call today (17 December) at Rothera Research Station – …
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From Scotland to Antarctica: trial construction of new Antarctic communications tower in Kintore
7 December, 2021
A full trial assembly of a specialist air communications tower for a British Antarctic Research Station has been constructed this autumn in Scotland, ahead of its shipping to Antarctica this month. …
Mission to drill Antarctica’s oldest ice
30 November, 2021
The first campaign to drill Antarctica’s oldest ice starts this month (November). Beyond EPICA-Oldest Ice aims to drill an ice core to collect a record of past climate spanning 1.5 million years
Extreme engineering: Practice makes perfect ahead of fitting out the new Discovery Building
23 November, 2021 Livia Oldland
The new science and operations facility at Rothera Research Station, the Discovery Building, has a unique design to meet the challenges of living and working in Antarctica, along with helping …
New report outlines the importance of Intentionally Inclusive Spaces in STEM
22 October, 2021
A report outlining the importance of Intentionally Inclusive Spaces in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through a case study of the Polar Horizons 2021 programme is published this month …
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BAS Shortlisted for British Construction Industry Awards (BCI)
21 July, 2021
British Antarctic Survey and the partners delivering the Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme are finalists for this year’s British Construction Industry (BCI) Awards in the ‘Partnership Initiative of the Year’ category. …
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UK and Australian new polar research ships rendezvous on sea trials
20 July, 2021
The UK and Australia’s two new polar research ships get together off the coast of Falmouth during sea trials.
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How to test a new polar ship
16 July, 2021 Emily Neville
At British Antarctic Survey, the next chapter in shipborne research is about to begin. Britain’s new polar ship, the RRS Sir David Attenborough, has been undergoing an intensive programme of …
Rothera Research Station’s new wharf achieves first CEEQUAL award in Antarctica
13 May, 2021
Award reflects project’s excellent environmental approach to biodiversity and sustainability. A new 74 metre wharf at British Antarctic Survey’s (BAS) Rothera Research Station has achieved the first CEEQUAL award in …
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Journey to Antarctica during the Covid-19 pandemic
14 January, 2021 Christopher Robert Lloyd
During this year’s construction season at Rothera Research Station, the team begins the second season of erecting a state-of-the-art science and operations facility, The Discovery Building. This vital piece of …
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Automated Halley monitors the ozone hole over Antarctica
16 September, 2020
This World Ozone Day, British Antarctic Survey (BAS) celebrates new technology which enables continuous monitoring of the ozone hole over Antarctica. Readings from the Dobson Ozone Spectrophotometer at Halley Research …
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King Edward Point: A new wharf for the RRS Sir David Attenborough
17 April, 2020 Livia Oldland
Alan Roper works from Ramboll and is currently Site Supervisor for the new wharf at King Edward Point Research Station in South Georgia as part of the Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation …
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Underwater Mountain Mapped in the South Atlantic
9 April, 2020
An underwater mountain double the height of the UK’s Ben Nevis has been added to a global map of the seafloor during a research cruise to investigate the marine environment …
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New building at Rothera breaks ground
30 January, 2020
In commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the first sighting of Antarctica by the British naval officer Edward Bransfield on this date in 1820, a new building to facilitate the …
Polar Medals awarded to BAS Staff
22 January, 2020
Two 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 in the …
Antarctica: Getting Ready for RRS Sir David Attenborough
19 December, 2019
A major modernisation programme at British Antarctic Survey’s (BAS) Rothera Research Station begins its second ‘summer season’ this month with the arrival of a 60-plus person team from BAM. Construction …
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Machine Learning for Environmental Sciences
21 July, 2019 Rachel Furner
Rachel Furner is a PhD student at British Antarctic Survey, which has recently opened up its new AI Lab, that aims to foster the application of various machine learning (and …
Scientists complete remote ice core drilling mission
10 January, 2019
A team of scientists and engineers from British Antarctic Survey and the University of Cambridge has successfully drilled over 650 metres in to an Antarctic ice cap to obtain an …
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Blog: A female engineer’s life at BAS
26 June, 2018 Nopi Exizidou
On National Women in Engineering Day, BAS energy engineer Parthena Exizidou explains what her job entails and why she loves engineering.
ENGINEERING AT SEA: Supporting Marine Science
9 March, 2018 Carwyn Davies
Mechanical engineer Carwyn Davies, from British Antarctic Survey’s Antarctic Marine Engineering (AME) is working onboard the RRS James Clark Ross with our science team to investigate Larsen C Benthos. Find …
SCIENCE ON THE ICE – Part 2: Setting up camp at Little Dome C
18 December, 2017 Robert Mulvaney
This Antarctic season BAS scientist Dr Robert Mulvaney is taking part in the ongoing hunt for the oldest ice record Beyond Epica. Using a variety of different techniques, he and …
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SCIENCE ON THE ICE – Part 1: The search for the oldest ice continues
23 November, 2017 Robert Mulvaney
BAS glaciologist Dr Robert Mulvaney journeys deep into Antarctica where he and the team continue their search for the oldest ice record of atmosphere and climate – hopefully stretching back 1.5 million years.
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Aurora events
Update – polar ship stern block arrives in Birkenhead
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 …
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Boaty McBoatface returns home with unprecedented data
28 June, 2017
Researchers have captured unprecedented data about some of the coldest abyssal ocean waters on earth – known as Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) – during the first voyage of the yellow …
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Horizon Antarctica Ice Station Rescue on BBC Two
6 June, 2017
Horizon documentary ‘Antarctica Ice Station Rescue’ broadcasts on Wednesday 7 June @ 21:00 on BBC Two In 2016 British Antarctic Survey (BAS) invited BBC film-maker Natalie Hewit to its Halley …
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The first dive of Boaty McBoatface
7 April, 2017
The unmanned submersible Boaty McBoatface was deployed in the Antarctic for the first time.
New study shows when Pine Island Glacier retreat began
23 November, 2016
New study reveals when West Antarctica’s largest glacier started retreating Reporting this week (Wednesday 23 November) in the journal Nature an international team led by British Antarctic Survey (BAS) explains …
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Design & engineering features
The Polar Code and green technologies
Instrument: Phase-sensitive radar (ApRES)
Research teams use phase-sensitive radars for determining ice shelf basal melt rates. Data is used to enhance climate models. The ApRES instruments yield time series of ice shelf thickness change …
Hot Water Drilling
Accessing subglacial environments
UK’s £200m Polar Research Ship named in honour of Sir David Attenborough
6 May, 2016
UK’s £200m Polar Research Ship to be named after Sir David Attenborough, days before the broadcaster’s 90th birthday “Boaty McBoatface” to live on as the name of the ship’s high-tech …
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SHIP BLOG: New Buoy at Sea!
5 March, 2016 Oliver Ashford
New ‘buoy’ at sea Oliver Ashford – a PhD student from Oxford University – is the youngest member of the SO-AntEco research cruise onboard the RRS James Clark Ross. He’s working with …
ANTARCTIC BLOG: Science from the air #5
26 January, 2016 Tom Jordan
Wrapping up I have started several of my blog posts saying I am writing in various odd/unusual/uncomfortable locations…the back of a Twin Otter, or in a mountain tent high on …
Airborne science and technology
Discover the UK’s national capability to support science from the air
Tractor train traverse system
Supporting large-scale science missions across the ice
Vehicle and mechanical engineering workshop
Discover how our vehicle fleet is prepared for polar service
NEWS STORY: Tender opportunity for drone
27 October, 2015
Tender opportunity for drone to be used in the Polar Regions British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is tendering for the delivery of a long range Unmanned Air System (UAS) for use …
scientific mooring winch
The RRS James Clark Ross has a purpose build scientific mooring winch, which is capable of deploying mooring of up to 4000m length of 14mm rope diameter. The winch has a …
Vehicles team
Specialist team for specialist work
Meet the Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme Team
Delivering the Antarctic infrastructure modernisation programme
NEWS STORY: Free event on Halley VI
27 May, 2015
FREE Public Event – Work in a cold climate: designing for the most extreme place on Earth London Festival of Architecture 2015 Thursday 18 June 2015, 18:30 – 20:00 The …
SAOZ
SAOZ measures sunlight scattered from the overhead sky in a way that allows us to calculate how much of the atmospheric gases ozone and nitrogen dioxide the light has passed through …
Dobson Spectrophotometer
The instrument that led to the discovery of ozone depletion over Antarctica
Micro-Molecular laboratories
Analysing the diversity and responses of micro-organisms
Geology laboratories
Since its beginnings in 1945, BAS has been collecting and studying Antarctic rocks and fossils.
Ice core aquisition and analysis
UK national facility and capability
Biology laboratories
Biological researchers have access to a suite of labs
Controlled Environment Facility (CEF)
Preserving Antarctic’s biological specimens for research
Aquarium
Discover the UK’s only cold water research aquarium
BAS Cambridge
Science, business and operational planning
PRESS RELEASE: Oceans and biofouling
28 January, 2015
Ocean acidification changes balance of biofouling communities A new study of marine organisms that make up the ‘biofouling community’ — tiny creatures that attach themselves to ships’ hulls and rocks …
NEWS STORY: Lessons from electrons
14 October, 2014
Study of electrons in space could help weather forecasting Researchers have discovered a formerly undetected impact of space weather on the polar atmosphere, which may explain some previously unexplained variations …
NEWS STORY: Changes in winds in south
12 May, 2014
Ocean winds keep Australia dry and Antarctica cold New research explains why Antarctica is not warming as much as other continents, and why southern Australia is recording more droughts. Analysis …
PRESS RELEASE: Pine Island Glacier and climatic variability
2 January, 2014
Pine Island Glacier sensitive to climatic variability A new study published in Science this month suggests the thinning of Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica is much more susceptible to …
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NEWS STORY: BAS involved in NASA mission
30 August, 2012
British Antarctic Survey scientists involved in NASA ‘space weather’ mission WASHINGTON — NASA’s Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP), the first twin-spacecraft mission designed to explore the Earth’s radiation belts, launched …
PRESS RELEASE: Space weather forecasting
29 March, 2011
Major EU-funded space weather initiative launched and managed in UK A major EU-funded initiative to improve ‘space weather’ forecasting will hold its inaugural meeting in the UK on Tuesday 29 …