Antarctic

Much of Earth has been steadily warming, which we now understand is a product of climate change. But in parts of the Southern Ocean around Antarctica, sea surfaces cooled considerably since the early 1980s. And now, scientists think they know why.

A new paper has revealed that Greenland and the Antarctic have lost a staggering amount of mass from their ice sheets over the last 16 years thanks to climate change, and that the melting has contributed to sea level rise.

Two new studies by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) are shedding new light on plastic waste in the Antarctic. Using surveys of marine debris, researchers determined the source of plastics in the region and the effectiveness of mitigation efforts.

Understanding the extent of plastic pollution is incredibly difficult. Scientists have again found evidence of small particles in the most remote of places, discovering microplastics lodged in cores of Antarctic sea ice for the first time.

Although a hole in the ozone layer might sound like a retro environmental issue, it’s still a problem today. While it's usually over Antarctica, scientists have now spotted the biggest ozone layer hole in at least 25 years forming over the Arctic.

Antarctica wasn't always a cold lifeless landscape. An international team has recovered a 90-million-year old soil sample that paints the most detailed picture of ancient Antarctica ever found, revealing a swampy rainforest and balmy temperatures.

A group of Australian scientists stationed in the Antarctic have just reported the continent’s first-ever heatwave, which follows record temperatures on the continent last month and is expected to have significant impacts on the local ecosystem.

A recent study led by scientists from Australia's New Curtin University shows that the world's smallest type of killer whale, the Ross Sea killer whale, has a surprisingly complex musical repertoire with 28 different complex calls.

A new survey led by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) indicates that blue whales and other large whale species are making a welcome comeback in waters off South Georgia, with 55 of the critically endangered whales spotted in 2020.

A new research building designed to keep scientists safe in some of the most challenging conditions on the planet has begun construction in Antarctica. The project is defined by its aerodynamic design and is due to be completed in 2023.

Scientists digging into the ancient history of Antarctica's ice sheets have uncovered evidence of an "extreme" melting event that drove rapid and significant sea level rise, which they see as a cautionary tale for climate change.

Scientists at a research base on the northern tip of the Antarctic peninsula have seen the mercury reach a relatively warm 18.3° C (65.5° F), a record high for the entire continent and almost a full degree hotter than the previous record.