We want to share news about our research and operational activities with as many people as possible around the world. We write and issue press releases and news stories. Browse our latest news here. If you are a journalist and would like to be added to our news distribution list please contact our Press Office.
Found 1293 items
15 July, 2024
This week (Friday 19 July) the UK’s polar research vessel the RRS Sir David Attenborough makes its first science expedition to the Arctic. A team will work in south-east Greenland …
Read more on Greenland science expedition aims to unveil critical climate insights
10 July, 2024
Construction teams have completed significant stages of the British Antarctic Survey’s (BAS) Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme and joined the over-wintering staff for the first time as the 2023/24 summer season ended. The improvements, led by BAM and technical advisors Ramboll will transform future science and operations at Rothera, the UK’s largest polar research station in Antarctica.
Read more on Modernisation milestones achieved in Antarctica
4 July, 2024
For the first time, researchers, including from British Antarctic Survey, have combined unique geological samples with sophisticated modelling to provide surprising insights into when and where today’s East and West …
2 July, 2024
Climate scientists from University of Cambridge and the British Antarctic Survey will be at the 2024 Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition, showcasing how they are using Antarctic ice cores to unlock …
Read more on Listen to ancient air escaping from polar ice cores at Royal Society
25 June, 2024
Warm water that seeps underneath can melt ice in way not yet included in models A new and worrying way that large ice sheets can melt has been characterised by …
Read more on New tipping point discovered beneath the Antarctic ice sheet
21 June, 2024
Today (21 June) marks the longest night in Antarctica and a very special Midwinter’s Day with 47 people or ‘winterers’ living and working at British Antarctic Survey’s (BAS) three winter …
4 June, 2024
Professor Dame Jane Francis, renowned palaeoclimatologist and Director of the British Antarctic Survey, has been elected as President of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG). Yesterday, Monday 3 June 2024, …
Read more on Professor Dame Jane Francis is new President of Royal Geographical Society
22 May, 2024
In the first successful attempt to calibrate walrus counts from satellite imagery, scientists used drones to validate animal counts in Svalbard, Norway. This International Day for Biological Diversity, the researchers …
Read more on Drones validate walrus counts in satellite images from space
21 May, 2024
New iceberg, the size of the Isle of Wight, is expected to be called A-83 ANTARCTICA – 21 May. A large iceberg (380 km²), about the size of the Isle …
Read more on Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica calves new iceberg
20 May, 2024
Scientists at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have found that the record-low levels of sea ice around Antarctica in 2023 were extremely unlikely to happen without the influence of climate …
Read more on Record low Antarctic sea ice ‘extremely unlikely’ without climate change
18 May, 2024
Comprehensive digital maps of Antarctica are now available to all, following the latest update of the Antarctic Digital Database. A new map viewer brings together all of the Antarctic Digital …
Read more on New interactive map of Antarctica available to all
17 May, 2024
Professor Lloyd Peck, Science Leader and marine biologist at British Antarctic Survey, joins over 90 exceptional researchers from across the world in being elected to the Fellowship of the Royal …
Read more on BAS scientist elected as Fellow of the Royal Society
16 May, 2024
The 2023/4 Antarctic field season has wound up and the last of the summer teams are aboard the RRS Sir David Attenborough and heading for home. This season not only …
Read more on British Antarctic Survey’s Antarctic field season wraps up
14 May, 2024
British Antarctic Survey has won the Gold Award at the Global FM Awards of Excellence 2024 for ‘The British Antarctic Survey Facilities and Estates team’. Pete Smith (Interim Head of …
2 May, 2024
This week (Thursday 2 May), British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is inviting the public to become ‘penguin detectives’ and spend five minutes counting emperor penguins to help with vital research into …
Read more on ‘Penguin detectives’ required for new counting app
29 April, 2024
British Antarctic Survey, in partnership with the University of Cambridge, will be at the 2024 Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition, showcasing how, using Antarctic ice cores to unlock the past, we …
Read more on Hold polar ice at Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition
25 April, 2024
Record low levels of Antarctic sea-ice in late 2023 resulted in breeding failures in a fifth of the continent’s emperor penguin colonies, according to a new study from British Antarctic …
Read more on Emperor penguin colonies in Antarctica suffer as sea-ice diminishes
16 April, 2024
Scientists have discovered a landscape of rocky hills and smooth plains beneath the remote Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica. A team of researchers used seismic imaging to map the area …
Read more on New insights into the bed beneath remote Antarctic glacier
16 April, 2024
Scientists are a step closer to being able to predict when large icebergs will calve in Antarctica. A team of glaciologists will present their new results at the European Geoscience …
Read more on Scientists one step closer to predicting iceberg calving
12 April, 2024
Over 120 scientists and operational professionals working for British Antarctic Survey, based in Antarctica and their headquarters in Cambridge, have received a new qualification to help the polar research institute …
Read more on New carbon literacy milestone achieved on journey to net zero
10 April, 2024
A new trial of Eutelsat OneWeb at British Antarctic Survey’s Rothera Research Station is providing new opportunities for science, and even live broadcasting. The low Earth orbit service was launched …
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 …
4 March, 2024
As part of the British Antarctic Survey’s Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme (AIMP), the runway at Rothera research station has successfully been resurfaced by construction company BAM and the design completed by Ramboll. The station is a major hub for international science in Antarctica, and this significant achievement is a pivotal moment for BAS and the UK’s future polar research capabilities.
Read more on Antarctic Runway is upgraded to support UK hub for polar science
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
24 January, 2024
Scientists from British Antarctic Survey have discovered four previously unknown emperor penguin breeding sites. Changing sea ice conditions along Antarctica’s coastline have forced several emperor colonies to move in search …
Read more on Four new emperor penguin colonies found by satellite
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 …
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 …
Read more on Team embarks on mission to investigate iceberg calving
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 …
21 December, 2023
Colleagues at British Antarctic Survey’s five research stations and on board the RRS Sir David Attenborough are currently preparing for a unique festive season in Antarctica, with nearly 24 hours …
11 December, 2023
A special issue of the journal Oceanography has shone a spotlight on the collaborative FindAScienceBerth project, inspiring people and institutions to make positive change towards increasing diversity. The FindAScienceBerth project is …
Read more on Building diversity, equity, and inclusion in ocean science
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 …
4 December, 2023
ANTARCTICA: Scientists aboard the RRS Sir David Attenborough collected samples of seawater around the A23a mega iceberg, the largest iceberg in the world. New video footage shows the enormous iceberg, …
Read more on RRS Sir David Attenborough samples A23a iceberg during climate science mission
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
27 November, 2023
Construction has begun in Antarctica for the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) with specialists arriving at Rothera Research Station to progress several projects to secure the future of polar operations and …
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 …
17 November, 2023
This November British Antarctic Survey joins with the polar community to celebrate the contribution of LGBTQIA+ people in polar research and operations to mark Polar Pride Day and LGBTQIA STEM …
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
31 October, 2023
Polar science could reach new heights as researchers prepare to test the new Windracers ULTRA autonomous drone in Antarctica this season. A new, state-of-the-art autonomous drone capable of carrying a …
Read more on British Antarctic Survey unveils pilotless plane for testing in Antarctica
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
23 October, 2023
The West Antarctic Ice Sheet will continue to increase its rate of melting over the rest of the century, no matter how much we reduce fossil fuel use, according to …
Read more on Increased West Antarctic Ice Sheet melting ‘unavoidable’
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, …
5 October, 2023
British Antarctic Survey glaciologist Hamish Pritchard has won the 2023 Harry Otten Prize for Innovation in Meteorology. His idea, Lakes as snowfall sensors: solving the precipitation problem in the mountain …
Read more on Hamish Pritchard awarded Innovation in Meteorology Prize
26 September, 2023
New measurements of how the boundary between onshore glacier and floating ice shelf glides back-and- forth could help predict melting The grounding line of the southern Ronne Ice Shelf in …
Read more on Antarctica’s glacial border moves for miles with the tide
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
21 September, 2023
The melting of the supergiant iceberg A-68 had a huge impact on the ocean around South Georgia, in sub-Antarctica, and significantly changed the Southern Ocean’s temperature and saltiness, with potentially …
Read more on Supergiant iceberg makes surrounding ocean surface colder and less salty
13 September, 2023
ANTARCTICA – Following the calving of the A-81 iceberg at the end of January 2023, the Brunt Ice Shelf is moving faster than before. It is currently moving approximately 4 …
Read more on Brunt Ice Shelf speeds up after calving of giant iceberg
7 September, 2023
The government has announced today that the UK will join Horizon Europe under a new bespoke deal with the EU. View the government announcement at: UK joins Horizon Europe under a …
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 …
8 August, 2023
Extreme events in Antarctica such as ocean heatwaves and ice loss will almost certainly become more common and more severe, researchers say. With drastic action now needed to limit global …
Read more on New Antarctic extremes ‘virtually certain’ as world warms
3 August, 2023
Winter sea ice in the Antarctic is at a historic low, and scientists are working to understand why an area of ice the size of Greenland is missing. Scientists from …
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
3 July, 2023
British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is using Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) for the first time on the RRS Sir David Attenborough, as an alternative to conventional diesel fuel, as part of …
Read more on Trial of lower carbon alternative fuel begins on RRS Sir David Attenborough
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
27 June, 2023
British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has achieved an Athena Swan Silver Award in recognition of efforts to advance the careers of women and underrepresented groups at the polar research institute in …