Scientists from British Antarctic Survey describe the role of föhn winds in influencing Antarctic ice shelf behavior. The study found that these winds contribute to melt pools and weaken the ice surface, making it more at risk of collapse.
A study found that a gentoo penguin colony in Antarctica was almost completely wiped out after three large volcanic eruptions over the past 7,000 years. The eruptions from Deception Island volcano had a devastating impact on the population, causing ash fall and burying chicks.
Researchers found that a cavity formed beneath the glacier prior to the mid-1940s, allowing warm sea water to flow under it and cause retreat. The study provides direct evidence of the timing of glacier retreat before satellite measurements were available.
A new marine biodiversity study reveals the impact of glacial events on subantarctic seabed animals, providing insights into the extent of South Georgia's ice sheet during the Last Glacial Maximum. The research found that most seabed species have not moved far back to recolonize the coast despite having thousands of years to recover.
Researchers have discovered a 65% reduction in Antarctic sea ice around 128,000 years ago, which has significant implications for predicting the Earth's future climate. The study, published in Nature Communications, used analysis of ice cores to determine the state of Antarctic sea ice during this past warm period.
The Antarctic Peninsula has entered a temporary cooling phase, driven by the stabilization of the ozone hole and changing wind patterns. Temperatures remain higher than pre-20th Century levels despite glacial retreat.
A new study has found that ocean warming is the primary cause of glacier retreat on the western Antarctic Peninsula, with 90% of glaciers retreating since records began. This finding will improve predictions of ice loss and sea-level rise, as the Peninsula contributes significantly to global sea levels.
Historic logbook records and computer modeling were used to assess the population's trajectory, finding numbers fell to less than 100 animals between 1914 and 1926. Today, only 12% of pre-industrial levels remain, with conservation strategies crucial for protection.
A 50-year study on southern giant petrels in Antarctica shows a halved population and declining breeding success. Breeding success dropped from 60% to 40% between 1996 and 2015 in selected colonies. The decline is of conservation concern, with the species' global population around 50,000 pairs.
A new study suggests that Antarctic ice sheet collapse will contribute to a significant but lower-than-expected 10-30 cm sea-level rise over the next two hundred years. The research uses an ice-sheet model to predict the consequences of unstable retreat of the ice, which recent studies suggest has begun in West Antarctica.
A new study finds that warmer Antarctic soils support a higher diversity of fungi, with potential for increased nutrient turnover and productivity. This could be due to improved access to water, enhancing fungal metabolism and activity.
Researchers found that phytoplankton organic waste can stimulate cloud droplets to freeze into ice particles, affecting global climate and influencing temperature. This discovery helps improve weather models and climate predictions.
The Larsen C Ice Shelf is losing an average of 4 metres of ice and lowering by one metre at the surface due to air loss from the top layer and warmer ocean currents. A collapse could occur within a century, contributing significantly to sea-level rise.
A new study reveals how tiny marine organisms that attach to ships' hulls and rocks respond to ocean acidification. The research found that certain species, such as sea squirts and sponges, increase in number, while others, like hard shell worms, decline significantly.
A new underwater robot has enabled scientists to create detailed, high-resolution 3D maps of Antarctic sea ice, providing accurate measurements of ice thickness and volume. The technology, known as SeaBED, fills a gap in data collection by allowing researchers to measure thicker areas of sea ice.
A major study analyzing all penguin species highlights the need to mitigate effects of habitat degradation, food scarcity, and climate change. The authors recommend measures such as establishing marine protected areas and implementing ecosystem-based management methods to protect biodiversity.
A genetic study reveals that climate change has significantly impacted Antarctic fur seals, leading to a decline in the population due to changes in food availability. The seals' ability to adapt is hindered by the lack of heritability of 'fitness genes', resulting in a decrease in survival and breeding success.
A genetic study has identified three distinct subspecies of humpback whales in the North Pacific, North Atlantic, and Southern Hemisphere. The findings suggest that these populations have been isolated for thousands of years, with some populations migrating only between warm equatorial waters.
Researchers have demonstrated that moss can come back to life and continue to grow after over 1,500 years frozen in Antarctic ice. This finding provides exciting new insight into the survival of life on Earth, with implications for the potential survival of complex life forms in permafrost or ice.
Scientists found that Pine Island Glacier thinned rapidly 8000 years ago, similar to its current rate of thinning. This suggests the glacier may continue to lose mass for decades to come due to ocean-driven melting.
Researchers from British Antarctic Survey demonstrated a new method using Very High Resolution satellite imagery and image processing software to automatically detect and count whales breeding in the Golfo Nuevo, Peninsula Valdes. This semi-automated technique has been shown to achieve 89% accuracy in identifying probable whales.
A new study suggests that Antarctica's ice shelves are at risk of collapsing due to global warming. The disappearance of the snow layer on top of the ice shelves could lead to a rapid increase in sea levels. Researchers warn that urgent action is needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate this threat.
Researchers found that penguin colonies moved from sea ice to thicker floating ice shelves due to changing environmental conditions. This surprising adaptation may help the species survive, but more research is needed to understand its extent and implications for other penguin populations.
A new study reveals that Pine Island Glacier is highly sensitive to climatic and oceanic changes, with fluctuations in ocean heat causing significant melting. The glacier's response to climate variability has been underestimated, suggesting a more complex interplay between geological, oceanographic, and climatic processes.
The €3.6 million CACHE programme will study the effects of ocean warming and acidification on shellfish populations, crucial for the European fishing economy and biodiversity. The project will also explore biomimicry and carbon sequestration opportunities.
Scientists have discovered life forms dating back nearly a hundred thousand years in subglacial lake sediments, challenging our understanding of what can survive in extreme environments. The discovery, made in Lake Hodgson on the Antarctic Peninsula, reveals diverse microorganisms that could hold clues for survival on other planets.
Climate change projections suggest warming Antarctic seas could reduce krill growth habitat by up to 20%, affecting wildlife and fisheries. The Southern Ocean region, including South Georgia, is expected to be worst affected, with potential losses of up to 55% in krill habitats.
A new study suggests that the Greenland ice sheet's contribution to sea-level rise will continue to increase as surface melting becomes more significant. This change is driven by the rapid retreat of outlet glaciers and strong warming-induced surface melting, which removes ice before it can reach the marine margin.
A new study challenges the claim that crabs returned to Antarctica due to warming seas. The research analyzed over 16,000 crab records and found no evidence of a mass migration from elsewhere. Instead, it suggests that King crabs have been uniquely adapted to the Antarctic environment for centuries.
A new study models iceberg production by Greenland glaciers, finding that fjord shape and terrain below the ice significantly affect their movement. The research suggests that climate change will lead to an average loss of 30-47Gt of ice from these glaciers over the 21st century.
A new study reveals that Antarctic clams' reaction to environmental changes varies depending on their age. Younger clams are more active in responding to hypoxia, while older, sedentary clams remain relatively unchanged. This has implications for future clam populations and ecosystems.
A new 1000-year Antarctic Peninsula climate reconstruction reveals a near-tenfold increase in summer ice melt since the mid-20th century. This intensification has important implications for ice instability and sea level rise in a warming climate.
New research from the Antarctic Peninsula reveals a significant increase in the length of the melting season over the last 60 years. The study found that the summer melt season has been linked to the rapid break-up of ice shelves and rising sea levels, with temperatures warming by up to 3°C since the 1950s.
Research predicts 20% of Canadian Arctic glaciers will melt by end of century, causing irreparable ice loss and sea-level rise. The study's results show that climate change reinforces warming, making it highly likely that glaciers will melt at alarming rate.
A new study projects that global sea-level rise will not be uniform, with certain regions experiencing higher rates of rise. The team used sophisticated computer modeling to show how ice loss from glaciers and ice sheets will impact regional sea levels, particularly in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean.
A new study provides a geological timeline for ice loss in West Antarctica, shedding light on the recent rapid melting of glaciers and improving predictions for future sea-level rise. The research reveals that exceptional changes in glacier retreat may occur only rarely over the past 10,000 years.
A new study found severe dissolution of pteropod shells in Southern Ocean waters due to ocean acidification. The tiny snails are a valuable food source for fish and birds, and their shells dissolving may increase vulnerability to predation and infection.
Scientists have found that Antarctic sea ice cover has increased, but with regional gains and losses offsetting each other. The changes are attributed to wind-driven changes in the Antarctic region, which affects both ice drift and air temperature.
A British team will penetrate and sample an ancient buried lake beneath three kilometers of ice in Antarctica. The team aims to reveal secrets about the Earth's past climate and discover life forms that may exist in subglacial Lake Ellsworth.
A team of polar scientists has reconstructed a 15,000-year climate history from an ice core, showing the Antarctic Peninsula warmed by about 6°C as it emerged from the last ice age. The centuries-long warming paved the way for the recent rapid warming and ice shelf collapse, which threatens future climate and sea-level rise.
A new international study found that increased acidity affects shell size and weight, with a trend observed across multiple marine species. The research suggests that these changes will have significant impacts on humans and the ocean's large animals.
A team of scientists has discovered a method of how carbon is drawn down from the surface of the Southern Ocean to deep waters, utilizing winds, currents, and eddies. This understanding improves knowledge of climate change effects on ocean carbon absorption.
Scientists have discovered a one-mile deep rift valley hidden beneath the ice in West Antarctica, contributing to ice loss from this part of the continent. The newly discovered Ferrigno Rift is part of a huge and yet poorly understood rift system that lies beneath the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.
A new study reveals that some wandering albatrosses are breeding 2.2 days earlier than before, with older or recently changed partners being key drivers of this trend. The researchers found no clear explanation for the change, which may be linked to environmental factors such as weather or ocean conditions.
A new study by British Antarctic Survey reveals that warm ocean currents are the dominant cause of recent ice loss from Antarctica. The research found that 20 out of 54 ice shelves around Antarctica are being melted by warm ocean currents, most of which are in West Antarctica.
A new study using satellite mapping technology reveals there are twice as many emperor penguins in Antarctica than was previously thought. The research provides an important benchmark for monitoring the impact of environmental change on the population of this iconic bird.
A new European Union system forecast space weather launches, providing frequent and reliable web-based forecasts to protect satellite operators from space radiation damage. The system uses satellite data, ground-based measurements, and computer models to predict space weather for the region where most satellites orbit the Earth.
A team of four British engineers has successfully paved the way to explore an ancient lake buried beneath 3 km of Antarctic ice. The Lake Ellsworth Programme aims to yield new knowledge about the evolution of life on Earth and other planets, while extracting vital clues about the Earth's past climate.
Researchers reveal the geological history behind the formation of the Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains, which took place over the last billion years. The discovery sheds light on mountain building and ice sheet evolution within continental interiors.
A British engineering team is embarking on a scientific mission to collect water and sediment samples from a subglacial lake in Antarctica. The 'deep-field' research mission aims to find new forms of microbial life and provide clues about the Earth's past climate, with potential implications for understanding the evolution of life on o...