23 April, 2019
Scientists embark on a three-week flying campaign today (23 April) to study methane emissions from gas fields in the southern North Sea. Using specialised scientific equipment, on board one of …
Read more on Scientists to study methane emissions in North Sea
9 April, 2019
This week a team of European researchers announces its plans for an ambitious mission to find the oldest ice on Earth (9 April 2019). Antarctica’s ice has the potential to …
Read more on New mission for 1.5 million year climate record
26 March, 2019
New polar ship takes to the water once again
25 March, 2019
A new study reveals the importance of a small number of intense storms around Antarctica in controlling the amount of snow falling across the continent.
Read more on Antarctic snowfall dominated by a few extreme snowstorms
22 March, 2019
A team of researchers led by British Antarctic Survey has for the first time mapped the deepest part of the South Sandwich Trench in the Southern Ocean. This part of …
Read more on Scientists map ‘deepest’ parts of Southern Ocean
13 March, 2019
A major milestone has been reached in the construction of a new wharf at Rothera Research Station. The first of 20 steel frames, forming the skeleten of the new structure, has been lowered into place in a piece of precision engineering.
Read more on Construction of new wharf begins as first frame is lowered into place
12 March, 2019
A team of scientists set sail this week (12 March) for the remote South Atlantic islands of Tristan da Cunha and St Helena. This mission is part of BAS’ commitment …
Read more on Marine research expedition sets sail for the South Atlantic
11 March, 2019
The NERC Arctic Station in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, is delighted to be hosting the BBC Radio 4 Today Programme this week (12-14 March 2019), including science editor Tom Feilden and presenter …
11 March, 2019
Sea-ice conditions have prevented the Research Icebreaker Polarstern from reaching the Larsen Ice Shelf and the calving areas of iceberg A68.
Read more on Expedition to Larsen C ice shelf thwarted by sea ice
8 March, 2019
British Antarctic Survey (BAS) reflects and celebrates the role of women within our organisation.
27 February, 2019
British Antarctic Survey (BAS) Halley VI Research Station has closed for the 2019 Antarctic winter after a successful summer field season. It will re-open again in November this year. The …
Read more on Halley Research Station closes for 2019 Antarctic winter
26 February, 2019
A new Centre for Doctoral Training, involving researchers from British Antarctic Survey, will develop Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques to address critical environmental challenges. Climate change and environmental hazards pose some …
Read more on Using AI to help tackle global environmental challenges
21 February, 2019
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. The new study is published …
Read more on Krill swarms responsible for ‘hidden’ carbon storage
12 February, 2019
A new study on ice cores shows that reductions in sea ice in the Arctic in the period between 30-100,000 years ago led to major climate events. During this period, …
Read more on Arctic sea ice loss in past linked to abrupt climate events
11 February, 2019
International Day of Women and Girls in Science today (11 February) is a celebration of women and girls in science and is organised by UNESCO and UN-Women. To mark this …
Read more on Celebrating International Day of Women & Girls in Science
7 February, 2019
Water entering the oceans from melting ice sheets could cause extreme weather and a change in ocean circulation not currently accounted for in global climate policies, a new study published …
Read more on Study shows melting ice sheets will disrupt climate
4 February, 2019
February 2019 marks the 75th anniversary of the origins of British Antarctic Survey, which began when the secret wartime mission “Operation Tabarin” arrived in Antarctica and set up base. This was the start of a permanent UK scientific presence in Antarctica.
Read more on British Antarctic Survey celebrates its 75th birthday
4 February, 2019
An international team of scientists heads to Antarctica this week (4 February 2019) to investigate a mysterious marine ecosystem that’s been hidden beneath an Antarctic ice shelf for up to …
Read more on Expedition heads to newly exposed Antarctic ecosystem
1 February, 2019
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 at the …
30 January, 2019
Some parents in the animal kingdom can prepare their young for environmental change, helping them cope better in new conditions, a paper published today in Nature Scientific Reports reveals. Scientists …
29 January, 2019
Scientists will use two species of seals to investigate a huge glacier in West Antarctica that is at risk of collapse. A team of over 20 polar scientists from the …
Read more on Seals to act as sentinels of remote Antarctic glacier
28 January, 2019
An international team of scientists is travelling to the Amundsen Sea – one of the most vulnerable sectors of the Antarctic Ice Sheet – to answer vital scientific questions about …
Read more on International research expedition heads to West Antarctica
24 January, 2019
A team of scientists and engineers has for the first time successfully drilled over two kilometres through the ice sheet in West Antarctica using hot water. This research will help …
Read more on Scientists drill to record depths in West Antarctica
23 January, 2019
A team of Arctic scientists – including British Antarctic Survey (BAS) climate scientist Dr Jeremy Wilkinson – are hosting their Arctic Basecamp in Davos this week (23 January) at the …
Read more on Scientists highlight Arctic at World Economic Forum
21 January, 2019
The population of Antarctic krill, the favourite food of many whales, penguins, fish and seals, shifted southward during a recent period of warming in their key habitat, new research shows. …
Read more on Antarctic krill population contracts southward as polar oceans warm
21 January, 2019
British Antarctic Survey scientist Professor Richard Phillips has been awarded funding to use newly developed radar-detecting tags to track the interactions between wandering albatrosses and fishing vessels in the South …
Read more on New funding uses seabirds as sentinels of South Atlantic
17 January, 2019
A new study of the animals living in polar oceans reveals which are most at risk from climate change. The study is published today (17 January) in Frontiers in Marine …
Read more on New study looks at risk to Antarctic marine life in future
16 January, 2019
Around one billion people depend on water resources originating from the Hindu-Kush Karakoram Himalayan region, attributable to both rainfall and melting of snow and ice. The wind in the valleys …
15 January, 2019
British Antarctic Survey space weather scientist, Dr Mark Clilverd, has been awarded a prestigious award from the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) in their 2019 Awards. The award recognises Mark as …
14 January, 2019
The British Antractic Survey’s vessel RRS Ernest Shackleton teamed up with the Royal Navy survey ship HMS Protector to help scientists begin a five-year mission to understand how West Antarctica …
Read more on Essential cargo delivered for science on Thwaites Glacier
14 January, 2019
First digging has begun to deconstruct the old wharf at Rothera Research Station as part of modernisation work to transform the way British Antarctic Survey delivers frontier science
Read more on Digging begins in construction of new Antarctic wharf
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 …
Read more on Scientists complete remote ice core drilling mission
9 January, 2019
Applications to carry out small-scale research projects in the Antarctic in the 2019/20 season are invited from UK-based researchers. The Collaborative Antarctic Science Scheme (CASS) provides fieldwork opportunities for scientists …
Read more on Opportunities for Antarctic research – Apply now
29 December, 2018
A huge cargo ship loaded with 4,500 tonnes of steel and construction equipment required to build a new Antarctic wharf has arrived at British Antarctic Survey’s Rothera Research Station. Staff …
Read more on Voyage delivers wharf-building equipment to Antarctica
19 December, 2018
Of the known non-native or ‘alien’ species found in Antarctica, a non-biting species of midge currently presents one of the highest risks to terrestrial ecosystems, researchers have found. The preliminary …
18 December, 2018
British Antarctic Survey is seeking to purchase a small passenger aircraft to work alongside its de Havilland Canada DHC-7 Series 110 (Dash 7). The aircraft will transport science and support teams and cargo between Rothera Research Station on the Antarctic Peninsula and Punta Arenas, Chile.
Read more on British Antarctic Survey seeks small passenger aircraft for Antarctica
13 December, 2018
British Antarctic Survey (BAS) scientists have been awarded funding to enable them to assess the impact of emissions from shipping and to quantify and manage the risk of climate hazards. …
Read more on Funding to assess shipping emissions and climate hazards
11 December, 2018
Amazing, natural, ‘sounds of space’, have been incorporated into the new exploration gameplay in Elite Dangerous
Read more on ‘Sounds of Space’ from Antarctica feature in space simulation game
10 December, 2018
A new study of snowfall across Antarctica provides vital information in the study of future sea-level rise. A team of scientists from NASA and British Antarctic Survey (BAS), describes how …
Read more on Increased snowfall in Antarctica buffers sea-level rise
5 December, 2018
Results of a new study on Antarctic seabirds shows a larger percentage of their populations inhabit important nesting sites around Ryder Bay, close to British Antarctic Survey’s Rothera Station than …
Read more on Seabird populations on Antarctic Peninsula unexpected
29 November, 2018
A team of international scientists from BAS, University of Iowa and GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences has discovered a new method to explain how radiation belts are formed around …
23 November, 2018
The DS Wisconsin departs for Antarctica loaded with 4,500 tonnes of kit required to build the new Rothear Wharf
21 November, 2018
‘Ice Flows’, a free-to-use and interactive game, which demonstrates the impact of climate change in Antarctica now has an exciting new feature – explainer videos, narrated by the penguin characters …
19 November, 2018
A team of UK and U.S. polar scientists are about to embark on one of the largest joint Antarctic missions for more than 70 years. It’s the first field season …
Read more on Ambitious UK-U.S. Antarctic research mission begins
14 November, 2018
Scientists have discovered an area near the South Pole where the base of the Antarctic Ice Sheet is melting unexpectedly quickly. Using radar to look through three km of ice, …
Read more on Discovery of high geothermal heat at South Pole
7 November, 2018
Fresh water freezing onto the bottom of the Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets leads to the formation of spectacular plume-shaped features, according to new research published today (7th November) in …
6 November, 2018
Congratulations to Dr Emilie Capron who has been awarded the prestigious Early Career Scientist Award of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG). Dr Capron is a palaeoclimatologist at British …
Read more on Prestigious award for BAS early career scientist
5 November, 2018
Unveiling key geological features of the Earth’s lithosphere
1 November, 2018
Scientists have used detailed high-resolution satellite images provided by Maxar Technologies’ DigitalGlobe, to detect, count and describe four different species of whales. Reported this week in the journal Marine Mammal …
30 October, 2018
Science and support teams from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) are gearing up for the start of the Antarctic summer field season. A major focus for the season is the West …
22 October, 2018
BAS marine researchers join nearly 300 international delegates at the annual meeting of the Convention on the Conservation or Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) beginning in Hobart today. For the …
Read more on Scientists join policy makers to discuss conservation
12 October, 2018
New funding stream for sustainable observation and unique BAS British Antarctic Survey (BAS) scientific capabilities
11 October, 2018
Technology pioneered in Antarctica could soon be providing much-needed data on the amount of ice in the glaciers of High Mountain Asia thanks to an ingenious helicopter-mounted, low-frequency radar developed …
11 October, 2018
Results from a 21-year study into the breeding success of gentoo penguins at a well-known tourist site in Antarctica, reveal a 25% reduction in breeding pairs and a decrease of …
Read more on Study of penguin colonies at Antarctic island shows decline
9 October, 2018
The presence of invasive oysters can support an endangered native oyster species in certain situations, a team led by a British Antarctic Survey scientist has found. The result was a …
Read more on Endangered native oyster helped by invasive species
8 October, 2018
The amount of plastic washing up onto the shores of remote South Atlantic islands is 10 times greater than it was a decade ago, according to new research published today …
Read more on Increase in plastics reaching remote South Atlantic Islands
1 October, 2018
A medical evacuation from the British Antarctic Survey’s (BAS) Rothera Research Station was successfully completed this weekend. The evacuation was a precautionary measure in order for the patient to be …
26 September, 2018
The construction team responsible for building a new Antarctic wharf at Rothera Research Station have been practicing full-scale assembly of the 30 tonne steel rigs in Southampton before deployment South. …
16 September, 2018
The 2018 ozone hole began forming in late August and won’t reach its largest for over a fortnight. Already it covers most of the Antarctic continent, an area of 14 …
13 September, 2018
The prestigious Challenger Medal for excellence in marine science has been awarded to British Antarctic Survey (BAS) oceanographer Professor Mike Meredith. Presented every two years by the Challenger Society – …
12 September, 2018
The British Antarctic Survey has been awarded National Capability funds for polar science which will strengthen UK national security, resilience, economic growth and societal benefit
10 September, 2018
People, Plastics and the Planet is an international workshop to tackle the global plastic waste problem taking place at British Antarctic Survey’s Aurora Innovation Centre from 18th – 21st September 2018. Organised by BAS, Cambridge University and Value in Enterprise offers the unique opportunity for scientists and entrepreneurs to spend four days developing and testing ideas to address challenges posed by plastics in our environment.
7 September, 2018
British Antarctic Survey’s detailed map of the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia featuring the epic “Shackleton Crossing” has won an award at the 2018 British Cartography Society Awards. The map, …
3 September, 2018
Satellites are more likely to be at risk from high-speed solar wind than a major geomagnetic storm according to a new UK-US study published this week in the Journal Space …
Read more on Satellites more at risk from fast solar wind than a major space storm
29 August, 2018
UK scientists will join what could be the largest-scale Arctic research expedition ever planned when the German research ship, RV Polarstern, is deliberately lodged into sea ice to drift past …
Read more on BAS scientist joins research ship ‘drifting’ past North Pole
13 August, 2018
Melting of ice shelves in West Antarctica speeds up and slows down in response to changes in deep ocean temperature, and is far more variable than previously thought, according to …
Read more on Melt-rate of West Antarctic Ice Sheet highly sensitive to changes in ocean temperatures
8 August, 2018
Understanding of how Jupiter’s magnetic field interacts with its moons and with intense particle radiation.
Read more on Million fold increase in the power of waves near Jupiter’s moon Ganymede
1 August, 2018
A new ‘heat map’ shows, in unprecedented detail, how geothermal heat is escaping through the Earth’s surface beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet. This is critical information for enabling scientists to …
23 July, 2018
A new study of lake sediments from the sub-Antarctic reveals for the first time that increases in westerly winds are likely to reduce the ability of the Southern Ocean to …
Read more on Increases in winds weaken Southern Ocean carbon sink
19 July, 2018
BIRKENHEAD. The superstructure of the new polar research ship for Britain, the RRS Sir David Attenborough, is now on top of the hull. Following the launch of the RRS Sir …
Read more on Update – new polar ship superstructure lifted onto hull
17 July, 2018
The most comprehensive magnetic map of Antarctica ever produced is published this week (15 July 2018). The new map – which includes 3.5 million line-kilometres of magnetic anomaly data collected …
Read more on New magnetic anomaly map helps unveil Antarctica
16 July, 2018
The majestic red hull of the RRS Sir David Attenborough glided in the River Mersey on Saturday 14 July. The launch button was pressed by the naturalist and broadcaster Sir …
Read more on Launch of RRS Sir David Attenborough – in pictures
11 July, 2018
RRS Sir David Attenborough hull launch into River Mersey 14 July Update 20 July 2018 – watch video of launch A major milestone in the build of the UK’s state-of-the-art …
2 July, 2018
Science meetings of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) take place over the next two weeks (starting 2 July 2018) at the Cambridge Headquarters of …
Read more on Science meetings on conservation of Southern Ocean
22 June, 2018
Old albatrosses that are more efficient at finding food during migration are more likely to successfully raise young, new research shows. A study led by the British Antarctic Survey, in …
Read more on In old age, efficiency is key to successful parenting
21 June, 2018
Hundreds of scientists and staff across the breadth of Antarctica – along with their family and friends back home – will today celebrate Midwinter’s Day – the day that heralds …
20 June, 2018
This study, led by scientists from the British Antarctic Survey, suggests that sea-ice loss in different regions of the Arctic, and of different amounts, leads to different effects on surface …
Read more on FEATURED PAPER: Sea-ice loss impacts Northern Hemisphere
19 June, 2018
Scientists from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) join over 1500 polar experts in Davos, Switzerland this week, to discuss the big issues and next steps for research in the polar regions. …
Read more on Scientists convene to discuss next steps for polar research
15 June, 2018
Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica is one of the fastest-flowing glaciers in Antarctica. Over the last eleven years, four major icebergs have broken off from its floating ice shelf. …
Read more on New maps show why glacier ice front suddenly shrank
9 June, 2018
A collection of reports and photos from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), documenting the UK’s leading role in the modern era of Antarctic exploration, is being inscribed onto UNESCO’s UK …
Read more on British Antarctic Survey archives awarded United Nations recognition
5 June, 2018
Scientists from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have, for the first time, tracked the lives of leopard seals as they migrate around Antarctica. The team followed these formidable predators as they …
Read more on New insight into an enigmatic Antarctic apex predator
30 May, 2018
Fungi in Antarctic soils release carbon that is more than a thousand years old, a team led by scientists at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has found. This discovery sheds light on how carbon is released into the atmosphere as polar regions warm.
Read more on Fungi respire millennium-old carbon from Antarctic soil
29 May, 2018
Leading climate scientist and BAS oceanographer Dr Emily Shuckburgh worked with award-winning author and illustrator Chris Haughton to create the short film Message from Antarctica. This is part of the …
Read more on Hay Festival short film highlights Antarctic climate science
24 May, 2018
Revealing Antarctica’s hidden world
Read more on Subglacial valleys and mountain ranges discovered near South Pole
17 May, 2018
A new study of marine fossils from Antarctica, Australia, New Zealand and South America reveals that one of the greatest changes to the evolution of life in our oceans occurred …
Read more on Major shift in marine life occurred 33 million years later
17 May, 2018
The UK and large parts of northern Europe could become windier if global temperatures reach 1.5˚C above pre-industrial levels, according to a new study. This has implications for wind energy …
Read more on European wind energy generation potential in a 1.5˚C world
16 May, 2018
On Monday 14 May, the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and the Instituto Antártico Argentino (IAA) signed a memorandum of understanding that aims to provide a formal framework to joint scientific …
Read more on UK-Argentina science collaboration agreement signed
14 May, 2018
The seas around the Antarctic Peninsula are biologically extremely rich, but are climatically sensitive, having experienced some of the fastest warming globally in recent decades. A special issue of the …
3 May, 2018
A new study involving scientists from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) suggests for the first time that warm winds are creating large surface melting of ice shelves in Antarctica during the …
Read more on “Hairdryer winds” cause ice melt during Antarctic winter
30 April, 2018
Professor Mike Meredith wins prize
Read more on Prestigious international award for oceanographer
30 April, 2018
A new UK-U.S. Antarctic research programme to improve the prediction of future sea-level rise is launched this week (Monday 30 April 2018) at British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Cambridge. The £20 …
Read more on Joint UK-U.S. Antarctic programme to study future sea level rise
26 April, 2018
A team of scientists on board the RRS James Clark Ross (JCR) has conducted marine biodiversity research around the Island of St Helena with a team of UK based and …