As part of the 62nd Chilean Antarctic Expedition, a team from the Chilean Antarctic Institute visited several sites on the Antarctic Peninsula. The aim was to ensure that the automatic weather stations were in working order. Maintenance work under extreme conditions: operations between helicopter, b
From stalled winds to failing equipment, Heïdi Sevestre describes what it really takes to cross Antarctica by kite-ski. Dr. Heïdi Sevestre begins her talk at UNIS, introducing the expeditionOn Monday evening, glaciologist Dr. Heïdi Sevestre spoke at The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) in Longye
Melting Antarctic ice may not fertilize the ocean as expected, as most iron instead comes from deep water and the seafloor. Most Antarctic iron comes from the deep ocean (Illustration: Léa Zinsli)New research from the Amundsen Sea is reshaping scientists’ understanding of how key nutrients reach one
New measuring instruments have been installed at the Ukrainian Antarctic station Vernadsky Research Base to continuously monitor air quality under extreme conditions. (Photos: Serhiy Yakushchenko, Yuriy Usmansky)Ukrainian scientists have expanded their research on air quality in some of the most rem
As part of his doctoral research, Dr. Singh Sehra spent a total of 18 months in Antarctica and circumnavigated the continent together with Soviet researchers. He was also the first Indian to overwinter at Molodezhnaya Station. (Photo: Dr. Singh Sehra)At first glance, India and Antarctica seem like a
Nobu Shirase wants to go to the South Pole! That was the joke of the year in 1909. The Japanese were rolling with laughter, and the press openly mocked him. Nobu Shirase was the third contender in the race to the South Pole. The first Japanese Antarctic expedition became the strangest exploratory jo
Participants in an Antarctic expedition aboard the Polarstern have discovered an island in the Weddell Sea that has not yet been recorded on nautical charts. The island is about 130 meters long, 50 meters wide, and rises approximately 16 meters above the water. (Photo: AWI / Christian Haas)An intern
The emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri), the largest penguin species, lives in Antarctica and depends on stable sea ice for raising its young and for molting. (Photo: Heiner Kubny)Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time and has profound effects on nature and wildlife. Species
Key milestones have been achieved in the construction of the new “Polarstern.” A scale model of the future research icebreaker has successfully completed tests in the ice tank. (Photo: Alfred Wegener Institute / TKMS)Significant progress has been made in the construction of the German research icebr
This artist’s impression shows astronauts and human habitats on Mars. NASA’s Mars 2020 rover will carry a range of technologies that could make Mars safer and easier for humans to explore. (Photo: NASA)During the Cold War, polar and space exploration became part of global technological competition.
The autonomous underwater robot “MONACA,” developed by the University of Tokyo and the National Institute of Polar Research, operates without a cable connection and carries out its missions entirely independently, unlike conventional remotely operated underwater vehicles. (Photo: JARE67 Miho Ikeda)A
A slight dip in gravity beneath Antarctica is linked to slow movements of rock deep within the Earth over millions of years. Earth’s gravity variations today, highlighting Antarctica’s deepest geoid low (Glišović & Forte 2025, Scientific Reports)Gravity is not the same everywhere on Earth. In Antarc
The king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) is the second-largest penguin species after the emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) and belongs to the genus of great penguins. (Photo: Heiner Kubny)Climate change is altering seasons worldwide and disrupting the timing between plants and animals. This i
Various measuring instruments are installed on the roof of the station, continuously recording meteorological and environmental data. (Photo: INACH)Antarctica, long regarded as an untouched natural region, is increasingly affected by global environmental changes. Recent research shows that smoke par
The Cape Town Agreement, entering into force in 2027, sets new safety standards for fishing vessels reducing risks and pollution in Arctic waters. Cargo vessel in calm northern watersThe Cape Town Agreement, the first worldwide treaty focused on the safety of fishing vessels, is set to enter into fo
Dr. Fernando E. Franca with his wife Eva Quesada in Havana in 1955. (Photo: Eduardo Franca)Fernando E. Franca is considered an important figure in the history of international polar research. As the first Cuban to reach Antarctica and work there scientifically, he wrote a special chapter in the hist
To conserve energy and move faster, emperor penguins slide across the ice on their bellies. With powerful flipper strokes and pushes from their feet, they “surf” over the frozen surface. (Photo: Rosamaria Kubny)Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey made a significant discovery while analyzing
Researchers carefully collect samples within a Gentoo penguin colony to scientifically assess the animals’ health status and environmental conditions. (Photo: INACH)The emergence of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAI) H5N1 in Antarctica remains a central focus of international researc
Casey’s old rubbish tip. All rubbish tips at Australian research stations were abolished in 1985. (Photo: AAD / Gavin Johnstone)Can waste management practices in Antarctica provide a model of sustainability for extreme environments? Last week, we left off with the following question: Is the principl
This delicate sea butterfly was nicknamed “Clio” by scientists, in reference to its scientific name Clio pyramidata. (Photo: Australian Antarctic Division / Pete Harmsen)Antarctica, a harsh and ice-covered continent, was long considered a habitat for only a few extremely resilient organisms. However
Old fuel drums near Beaver Lake. The lake was discovered in 1956 during an Australian expedition. In September 1957, Australian scientists set up a base camp here, using the lake as a landing strip for aeroplanes. (Photo: AAD / M. Woolridge)Can waste management practices in Antarctica provide a mode
Snow-kite expedition in Antarctica (Photo: Heïdi Sevestre)Glaciologist Dr. Heïdi Sevestre and explorer Matthieu Tordeur spent the 2025/2026 Antarctic summer crossing the continent by kite-ski, covering nearly 4,000 kilometers while pulling two ground-penetrating radars across the ice to collect data
Richard Evelyn Byrd was an American polar explorer and rear admiral. During his first Antarctic expedition, on November 28/29, 1929, he achieved the first flight over and around the South Pole in a “Ford AT-5 Trimotor.”In the autumn of 1928, Byrd left the United States aboard the City of New York an
To mark the 30th anniversary of the Ukrainian Antarctic station Akademik Vernadsky, Ukrposhta issued a special stamp on 6 February 2026. A total of 15,000 first day covers were produced to mark the 30th anniversary of the Vernadsky Antarctic Station, honoring three decades of scientific research in
