New Atlas

Environment Audio available

Giant cavity found eating away at Antarctic glacier from underneath

Michael Irving January 30, 2019

NASA’s ongoing Operation IceBridge has found a gigantic cavity underneath Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica, which shows that the area has suffered even more drastic ice loss in recent years than previously thought – and it’s accelerating.

Collectibles

Historic sledge from first Shackleton polar expedition is up for sale

David Szondy January 21, 2019

One of the surviving sledges from Sir Ernest Shackleton's 1907 failed attempt to reach the South Pole is going up for auction at the Bonhams Bonhams Travel and Exploration Sale in London..

The sledge up for auction was one of four used in an attempt to reach the ...

Space

Drill originally destined for Mars heads to Antarctica to dig into climate secrets

David Szondy January 3, 2019

A high-tech drill originally slated for use on Mars is heading for Antarctica. The drill is on its way to a British Antarctic Survey research station, where it will be used to drill deep under the ice cap to help gain a better understanding of Earth's climate history.

Scientists hope that a high-tech drill destined for the Antarctic can unearth some of the Earth's ...

Automotive Audio available

Venturi Antarctica all-electric exploration rover set to bite into polar ice

C.C. Weiss December 12, 2018

Venturi Automobiles has made a name for itself blazing electric-vehicle trails over hot salt and hot race track, but it's about to crank down the temperature. It has revealed its all-electric Antarctica polar exploration vehicle and is preparing to bring it down to the world's loneliest continent.

The Venturi Antarctica will be used for short scientific missions

Environment

New NASA photos offer closer look at bizarre rectangular Antarctic icebergs

Rich Haridy October 24, 2018

A few days ago NASA’s IceBridge project hit the news, but not for any scientific observations. Instead, a photo of a strange rectangular iceberg captured people’s imagination. Now, NASA has offered up a few more shots of this unusual sight, helping explain this common yet rarely seen phenomenon.

Just past the rectangular iceberg, which is visible from behind the outboard engine, IceBridge saw another ...

Environment

Rectangular icebergs and the snowy spectacle of NASA’s latest Antarctic aerial mission

Rich Haridy October 23, 2018

NASA's Operation IceBridge is currently gathering measurements of Antarctic land and sea ice. The data it gathers will be compared to measurements from the newly orbiting ICESat-2, while the images captured provide a breathtaking look in and around the frozen continent.

This bizarrely, but not unusual, rectangular iceberg is called a tabular iceberg and was discovered by ...

Environment Audio available

Ice shelf's eerie song could be early warning system for collapse

Michael Irving October 18, 2018

After monitoring seismic activity over a few years, researchers noticed that the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica is “singing” – and listening out for changes in that song could be an early warning system for potential problems.

Researchers have found that the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica is "singing", which could help provide ...

Environment

Giant iceberg finally heads out to sea

David Szondy September 13, 2018

After over a year since it dramatically broke loose from the Antarctic ice cap, one of the largest icebergs on record has finally set to sea thanks to strong southern spring winds that have freed the multi-trillion tonne ice cube.

The iceberg's escape was seen by ESA's Copernicus Sentinel-1mission

Space

Fermi Telescope locates extragalactic source of "ghost particles"

Michael Irving July 12, 2018

About 3.7 billion years ago, a neutrino was thrown out of a blazar and launched towards Earth. The ghostly particle was detected by the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica and traced back to its point of origin, helping to confirm the most distant neutrino source ever identified.

A distant blazar has been identified as a source of neutrinos detected in Antarctica

Marine

Antarctic-grade Ocea Nemo 50 ICE megayacht to power through polar seas

C.C. Weiss July 5, 2018

Some look at the sea as a relaxing playground, a place for champagne and caviar sunsets and midday PWC frolics. Others will happily give up those tropical comforts to circle the choppy, sea ice-laced waters around Antarctica on the all-new Ocea Nemo 50 ICE megayacht.