Beyond EPICA deep drilling campaign begins
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 …
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
1 December, 2022
British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is today celebrating 60 years of scientific research in Antarctica as the UK’s national operator on Antarctica Day (1 December). For the last six decades, the …
Read more on British Antarctic Survey celebrates its 60th anniversary on Antarctica Day
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
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, …
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
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 …
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 …
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
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
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
11 October, 2022
How much water the mountain glaciers of the Himalayas contain and how the mighty Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica will contribute to global sea-level rise form part of the final …
Read more on Glaciers in the spotlight on BBC’s Our Frozen Planet
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
29 September, 2022
A new study, led by British Antarctic Survey and the University of Bristol, provides the first evidence that a controversial evolutionary process may be responsible for lanternfishes becoming one of …
Read more on Study hints at how fishes in the twilight zone evolved
23 September, 2022
In 2011, Frozen Planet gave BBC viewers an unprecedented insight into life in the Poles. The final episode featured British Antarctic Survey (BAS) glaciologist Dr Andy Smith using explosives to …
Read more on BBC’s Frozen Planet II: science into television
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
20 September, 2022
Captain John Harper retires this month after a long and successful career at British Antarctic Survey (BAS). In fact, with an incredible 42 years of service, Captain Harper is the …
9 September, 2022
British Antarctic Survey Director Professor Dame Jane Francis today paid tribute to the life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Professor Francis said: “We are deeply saddened by the death …
8 September, 2022
New equipment designed by British Antarctic Survey is helping scientists to study the impact of microplastics in the ocean. The Ocean Plastic Incubator Chamber (OPIC) exposes various types of plastics …
Read more on New kit enables study of microplastics in the ocean
5 September, 2022
New high resolution images of the the seafloor in West Antarctica show past retreat of Thwaites Glacier. They reveal that at times in its past, retreat of the massive Thwaites …
Read more on Seafloor images explain Thwaites Glacier retreat
4 September, 2022
British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and RSPB are recruiting albatross detectives to help to search for wandering albatrosses in satellite images taken from space. This is to help us learn more …
Read more on Albatrosses from space: wildlife detectives needed!
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 …
22 August, 2022
Scientists have unlocked the mysteries of how shark and ray species move up and down the ocean water column, in efforts to better understand them and protect their future. …
11 August, 2022
Scientists are flying research aircraft through the heart of Arctic storms this summer to better understand how weather systems are affecting polar sea ice. Arctic cyclones are the main type …
Read more on Arctic flights to shed light on sea ice and storms link
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.
21 July, 2022
The second of six winter krill surveys in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands is underway. The first winter krill survey was completed successfully on board the South Georgia …
19 July, 2022
Scientists have reconstructed more than 60 million years of evolutionary history to reveal how penguins became oceanic birds. An international team of 40 researchers analysed the genomes – the complete …
18 July, 2022
This month (July 2022) a formal change in the leadership of the Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme (AIMP) takes place. Elen Jones joins British Antarctic Survey as the new AIMP Programme Director …
Read more on Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme – change in leadership
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.
13 July, 2022
New factors are contributing to record-high temperatures and ice melt over the eastern Antarctic Peninsula and Larsen C Ice Shelf.
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.
6 July, 2022
British Antarctic Survey (BAS) data scientist, Tom Andersson has been awarded the World Meteorological Organisation Young Scientist of the Year Award 2022.
5 July, 2022
Today, Tuesday 5 July, the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI) announced the designation of the entire landmass of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands …
27 June, 2022
British Antarctic Survey (BAS) scientists will investigate critical challenges facing the UK, thanks to new funding from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). A £47m investment to several UK research …
21 June, 2022
British Antarctic Survey (BAS) staff in the UK and across three Antarctic wintering stations observe the shortest, darkest day of the year on the frozen continent with a host of unique celebrations.
16 June, 2022
Two crucial glaciers in West Antarctica may be losing ice faster than they have over the last 5,000 years, according to a new study published this month (June 2022).
15 June, 2022
A special issue of the journal Deep-Sea Research which includes contributions from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) scientists features a range of new research which increases our understanding of the understudied South Sandwich Islands.
14 June, 2022
Britain’s new polar research ship, RRS Sir David Attenborough, returns to the UK today (14 June) after completing its landmark maiden voyage to Antarctica. The ship departed the UK in …
11 June, 2022
Britain’s new polar research ship, RRS Sir David Attenborough, is centre-stage in a new gallery, ‘Poles Apart’, which opened today at the Royal Museums Greenwich National Maritime Museum. The exhibition …
10 June, 2022
A new Data Portal is being launched today by the British Antarctic Survey and the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI), which will help to enhance the management of one of the world’s largest Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
10 June, 2022
A new map of the seafloor of the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica provides the most accurate representation of this vast area to date. An international team of scientists, including several …
8 June, 2022
A new dataset featuring hundreds of satellite images of whales has been published to support the development of artificial intelligence systems which will aid crucial conservation work.
27 May, 2022
The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) field season has finished for another year. RRS Sir David Attenborough departed Rothera Research Station for the final time earlier in May and is …
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.
19 May, 2022
The latest British Antarctic Survey (BAS) Antarctic Digital Database (ADD) data will be included in a world leading collection of geographic information.
12 May, 2022
Trinity House Merchant Navy Cadets are joining Britain’s new polar research vessel RRS Sir David Attenborough. Three Cadets will be joining the vessel in the Falkland Islands this week for …
9 May, 2022
Dr Andrew Kavanagh of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) Space Weather team has supported a new National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) rocket experiment which aims to uncover unique features of our atmosphere that enable life on Earth.
4 May, 2022
The director of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Professor Dame Jane Francis has been awarded the prestigious Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers (IBG) Patron’s Medal for contributions to earth and environmental sciences.
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 …
22 April, 2022
A new study featuring contributions from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) scientists has identified 100 pressing research questions on climate change and water resources in the Upper Indus Basin (UIB) that must be answered to protect the communities that live there.
Read more on Study sets course for research on Himalayan waters
21 April, 2022
The first same-sex wedding in the British Antarctic Territory is due to take place this weekend at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) Rothera Research Station.
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 …
14 April, 2022
A new study by scientists from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has used computer modelling to rank the factors responsible for the Larsen C ice shelf melt according to their severity.
Read more on Researchers identify biggest threats to Larsen C ice shelf
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
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
29 March, 2022
A £5m project funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) to investigate the complex changes seen in sea ice around the Antarctic begins this month (March 2022) as the …
Read more on Study underway as Antarctic sea ice extent at record level
28 March, 2022
British Antarctic Survey, as part of Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) condemns in the strongest possible terms the Russian government’s invasion of Ukraine. Please …
10 March, 2022
New research shows the slow growth in Antarctic fish is linked to problems making proteins.
Read more on Scientists reveal growth limits of Antarctic fish
9 March, 2022
Looking for a new challenge? British Antarctic Survey has launched its latest recruitment campaign for a wide range of jobs in Antarctica for the 2022/23 Antarctic season. Antarctica is the …
9 March, 2022
East Antarctica is the least known region of Earth. Studying this remote part of the continent is extremely difficult, requiring researchers to look beneath kilometres of blanketing ice.
Read more on Scientists discover Antarctica’s hidden geological past
4 March, 2022
In late February, the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) Halley VI Research Station closed for the 2021/22 season. The season saw some major developments at the station, including several significant improvements and additions to its automated systems.
Read more on Automation in place at Halley VI Research Station
28 February, 2022
A new report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published today (28 February) has outlined the causes, impacts and solutions to climate change.
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.
Read more on Heat source melting Greenland Ice Sheet discovered
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 …
16 February, 2022
British Antarctic Survey has teamed up with the National Oceanography Centre and the University of Glasgow to champion the FindAScienceBerth project, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council. The project …
Read more on Connecting under-represented groups with science berths
11 February, 2022
RRS Sir David Attenborough (SDA) has collaborated with the cruise ship Le Commandant Charcot in its efforts to deliver critical science cargo to the English Coast, Antarctica in support of the …
Read more on RRS Sir David Attenborough collaborates with cruise ship
9 February, 2022
Scientists have deployed a network of seismometers onto Antarctica’s Brunt Ice Shelf in an experiment that will test the instrument’s ability to operate on icy moons in the Solar System. …
Read more on Antarctica as testing site ahead of mission to icy moons
8 February, 2022
New research papers from the one-year MOSAiC expedition to study the Arctic have yielded new understanding about the region. Hundreds of international researchers are currently analysing observations from the MOSAiC …
Read more on Deep insight into Arctic from MOSAiC expedition
7 February, 2022
A new study highlights there could be up to four times more fish in the mesopelagic, or ‘twilight’, zone of the Southern Ocean than previously thought. Scientists at British Antarctic …
Read more on More fish in ‘twilight zone’ than previously thought
31 January, 2022
Three British Antarctic Survey (BAS) staff have been awarded the Polar Medal. The announcement was published last week (Friday 28 January) in the London Gazette. Melody Clark is a molecular …
26 January, 2022
The first observations from the Diversity in UK Polar Science Initiative (DiPSI) describes the efforts required to create a more inclusive workplace in UK polar science. The editorial is published …
Read more on Creating a more inclusive workspace in UK polar science
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
19 January, 2022
Scientific labs at British Antarctic Survey (BAS) in their Cambridge headquarters and at Rothera Research Station in Antarctica have achieved a sustainability award from the Laboratory Sustainability Efficiency Assessment (LEAF) …
Read more on Labs in Antarctica and Cambridge Receive Sustainability Award
14 January, 2022
The Royal Astronomical Society has awarded the 2022 Gold Medal for Geophysics to Professor Richard B Horne for his outstanding contributions to our understanding of the physics underlying space weather. …
Read more on BAS scientist awarded Gold Medal by Royal Astronomical Society
13 January, 2022
A new project to improve scientists understanding of the impact of space weather and climate change on the atmosphere starts this month (January 2022). A team from British Antarctic Survey, …
Read more on Grant to understand future impacts on atmospheric prediction
11 January, 2022
Applications to carry out small-scale research projects in the Antarctic in the 2022/23 season are invited from UK-based researchers. The Collaborative Antarctic Science Scheme (CASS) provides opportunities for scientists in …
Read more on Opportunities for Antarctic research – Apply now
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
10 January, 2022
The fossilised remains of Britain’s largest ichthyosaur, known as a ‘Sea Dragon’, has been discovered at the Rutland Water Nature Reserve, in the East Midlands. It is the biggest and …
Read more on BAS palaeontologist part of discovery of ‘sea dragon’ fossil
5 January, 2022
One hundred years on from the death of the famous polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, the UK’s new polar research ship, RRS Sir David Attenborough, will be exploring the very …
Read more on New polar research ship embodies ‘spirit of Shackleton’
23 December, 2021
2021 has been a rollercoaster year for British Antarctic Survey, operating research stations in the Antarctic and the sub-Antarctic through the Covid-19 pandemic, while our new polar research vessel, the …
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
20 December, 2021
Science and support teams from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) are gearing up for the start of the Antarctic summer field season. All five of our research stations will be open …
Read more on British Antarctic Survey’s 2021-2022 field season is underway
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 – …
Read more on RRS Sir David Attenborough arrives in Antarctica for the first time
15 December, 2021
A hackathon involving some highly innovative minds from across business and academia has resulted in the announcement of three winning entries to help decarbonise research stations for the British Antarctic …
14 December, 2021
Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier is retreating rapidly as a warming ocean slowly erases its ice from below, leading to a faster flow, more fracturing and a threat of collapse, according to …
Read more on The threat from Thwaites: the retreat of Antarctica’s riskiest glacier
14 December, 2021
Data collected from a long-term study by British Antarctic Survey (BAS) scientists shows declining populations of an already relatively rare Antarctic seabird, the South Georgia shag. Published in the journal …
10 December, 2021
Applications for PhD projects with British Antarctic Survey (BAS) are now open for October 2022 admission. BAS currently supports over 100 PhD students, working on a huge variety of projects. …
Read more on PhD opportunities with British Antarctic Survey in 2022
8 December, 2021
The RRS Sir David Attenborough completes the first leg of its journey to Antarctica, arriving in the Falkland Islands on 9 December. The draft of Britain’s new polar ship is …
Read more on RRS Sir David Attenborough arrives in Falkland Islands
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. …
3 December, 2021
A rare total solar eclipse in Antarctica this weekend (Saturday 4 December) is giving researchers a unique opportunity to learn more about how solar eclipses affect space weather. The next …
Read more on Antarctica experiences rare total solar eclipse