We’ve almost forgotten it, but Wordie wasn’t always a bay: it was once an ice shelf, and its slow disappearance is a textbook example of the powerful phenomenon of glacier collapse at work in Antarctica.The calving front of Fleming Glacier, which once fed the Wordie Ice Shelf before it collapsed. Im
While the Earth endured icy millions of years, early life may have survived near the equator, according to a new study of microorganisms in Antarctic meltwater ponds.Meltwater ponds on the McMurdo Ice Shelf in East Antarctica. Photo: Ian Hawes, University of Waikato The Antarctic is once again provi
For nearly a thousand years, Greenlandic sled dogs, or Qimmit, have accompanied Inuit communities across the frozen expanses of the Arctic. A recent genetic study reveals the ancient origins, regional diversity, and cultural importance of these four-legged companions A symbol of the Arctic, the sled
The Thwaites Glacier is living out its last years of stability: the disintegration of its floating shelf has begun. As spectators of a predicted collapse, we witness the countdown of a colossus whose melting could raise the oceans by 65 centimetres. The icebreaker Nathaniel B. Palmer at the edge of
The Polar Retrospective looks at recent stories from around the world’s polar regions. This week we take a look at the impact of an NASA backed citizen science project in Antarctica, the increase in toxins levels in the Alaskan Arctic, and melting glaciers that might trigger more volcanoes eruptions
A 2024 study claimed Antarctica's peninsula is rapidly "greening." However, two new papers challenge this and open a debate of how dramatically Antarctic science should be communicated. A striking headline emerged from a 2024 study in Nature Geoscience: the Antarctic Peninsula is undergoing a widesp
No sooner has the emperor penguin begun to reveal its secrets than it’s already disappearing. Beacon of a climate in crisis, this emblematic Antarctic bird could disappear before we even get to know it. The emperor penguin(Aptenodytes forsteri) lives exclusively around Antarctica and is distinguishe
Melting glaciers, tipping points, sea ice in distress. The Antarctic continent is not doing well in the face of climate change. Yet, the scientific research, as crucial it is to undersand the different implied phenomenons, is declining in number. Photo: Julia HagerDespite accelerating climate impact
A new study has confirmed that a slice of crust in northern Canada is the oldest on record, solidifying the Arctic region's reputation as a unique window into Earth's fiery birth. The vast, remote landscapes of the global north are a treasure trove for geologists, holding some of the rarest and olde
The more we learn about orcas, the more remarkable they are. These giant dolphins are the ocean’s true apex predator, preying on great white sharks and other lesser predators.Orcas are remarakble in many ways and fascinate everyone. Image: Michael WengerVanessa Pirotta, Macquarie UniversityThey’re v
Never-before-seen images filmed in Antarctica show traces of anchoring on a deep, untouched seabed. Without concluding that there is a definite impact, a study invites us to consider the potential effects of human activities on these fragile ecosystems. Giant sponge and anemones 230 m beneath the ic
Oceanographer Benjamin Rabe plans to study the phenomenon of upwelling of warm water and nutrients already observed at the edges of the Arctic Ocean to see if it will extend towards the North Pole over the next decade. His project is based on the Tara Polar Station and its series of Polaris expediti
The Polar Retrospective looks at recent stories from around the world’s polar regions. This week we take a look at competition for krill between animals and trawlers, and bubble messages trapped in ice. The humpback whales in the southern hemisphere have a krill-heavy diet. Picture : Adam ErnsterThe
Disappearing sea ice appears to be putting gray whales in the eastern North Pacific under pressure once again this year: many animals are emaciated, and the number of newborn calves is at a record low.A gray whale mother with her calf on their northward migration. Photo: NOAAEvery year, gray whales
A new study shows that the 30% global ocean protection target isn't enough for mobile marine megafauna, especially in polar regions as threats like warming, shipping & plastic demand urgent mitigation beyond MPAs for the survival of these polar dwellers. The global aim to protect Earth’s biodiversit
Will any remain by the end of the century? Satellite data shows a 22% decline in emperor penguin populations across a quarter of Antarctica over the past 15 years, due to climate instability. Snow Hill – Antarctica. Photo: Michael WengerOne more brick in the edifice painstakingly built by penguin sc
As forest fires wipe out Canada’s boreal forest, a study highlights the role these fires could play in slowing global warming.At present, over 200 fires are active in central and western Canada. One hundred of these are considered to be out of control. As people continue to be evacuated and Indigeno
The West Antarctic Ice Sheet could reach its tipping point with only minimal additional ocean warming – with long-term consequences for global sea levels. But a small window of time remains to take countermeasures. “With every decade we wait, with every (currently two tenth of a) degree of additiona
Jacqui Stuart, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington and Natalie Robinson, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA)As Antarctic sea ice forms later and thinner, a hidden ecosystem is shifting: microalgal diversity is declining, disrupting a key food source for marine
This week's Polar Retrospective takes a look at ancient arctic birds that lived with dinosaurs, AI that helps protect migrating caribou across fragile sea ice, and wildfires in Canada. The Polar Retrospective looks at recent stories from around the world’s polar regions. This week we take a look at
A study highlights the role that penguin droppings play in cloud formation and their potential impact in reducing the effects of global warming.Anyone who has ever been near a penguin colony probably remembers the overwhelming smell that emanates from it. However, it would appear that penguin droppi
Even if humanity succeeds in slowing global temperature rise after temporarily exceeding the Paris climate target and bringing it back below 1.5°C in the long term, the world’s glaciers will continue to shrink for centuries, or even millenia.The Fjortende Julibreen (14th of July Glacier) on Svalbard
In a study published yesterday, scientists warn that the global warming target of +1.5°C is insufficient to protect the vast ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica from melting. They call for a new cooler target quickly. A new landmark review delivers a stark message: the global warming target of +1
The Polar Retrospective looks at recent stories from around the world’s polar regions. This week we take a look at the annual meeting of the French National Committee for Arctic and Antarctic Research, Russia’s push to build a fleet of 130 Arctic vessels to expand trade with China along the Northern
