antarctica

Iceberg Nearly the Size of London Breaks Away From Antarctica

Iceberg Nearly the Size of London Breaks Away From Antarctica

A gigantic iceberg nearly the size of Greater London has broken free from the 492-foot-thick Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica. Cracks that had been developing naturally in the ice shelf over the past few years had expanded across the entire shelf, causing the iceberg to finally calve on Sunday, according to a British Antarctic Survey […]

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    Tourist-Driven Black Carbon Pollution Accelerates Melting in Antarctica

    Tourist-Driven Black Carbon Pollution Accelerates Melting in Antarctica

    The number of Antarctic sightseers doubled over the past decade, reaching nearly 75,000 in 2019. New research finds the soot, or black carbon, from these visits is causing an extra inch of snowpack shrinkage each year. “It really makes us question, is our presence really needed?” Alia Khan, a glaciologist and study author asked NPR. […]

    Toxic Nanoplastics Found at North and South Poles

    Toxic Nanoplastics Found at North and South Poles

    There is increasing alarm about the extent of microplastic pollution, which has been found everywhere from Everest to the Arctic.  However, it turns out there’s an even smaller and more toxic form of plastic pollution infiltrating remote reaches of the globe. A new study published in Environmental Research found significant quantities of nanoplastics in ice […]

    Ships Could Bring Invasive Species to Antarctica, Study Warns

    Ships Could Bring Invasive Species to Antarctica, Study Warns

    Antarctica is a largely untouched continent with a unique ecosystem, but ships still pass by or stop at this continent for scientists, tourists, and fishing professionals. With all those ships coming to and from the area, experts are now concerned about the growing threat of invasive species. A new study published in the journal Proceedings […]

    Climate Change Is Destabilizing Earth’s Polar Regions

    Climate Change Is Destabilizing Earth’s Polar Regions

    Temperatures have been rising in the Arctic and Antarctic twice as fast as the rest of the globe, and it is changing the dynamics of the region. Beavers, whose damming activity increases the melting of permafrost, have been seen making the Arctic their new home, the ice shelf holding the enormous Thwaites Glacier in place […]

    Ice Shelf Holding Pine Island Glacier Could Collapse Within a Decade

    Ice Shelf Holding Pine Island Glacier Could Collapse Within a Decade

    The Pine Island Glacier is currently Antarctica‘s greatest contributor to sea level rise, and, now, a new study warns that it could be closer to collapse than previously thought. The research, published in Science Advances Friday, found that the vulnerable glacier had sped up by 12 percent over the last three years as the ice […]

    National Geographic Recognizes Unique Southern Ocean as Earth’s Fifth Ocean

    National Geographic Recognizes Unique Southern Ocean as Earth’s Fifth Ocean

    Yesterday was World Oceans Day, and this year National Geographic made the celebration extra special — by recognizing a whole new ocean. Since National Geographic began making maps in 1915, it has officially acknowledged four oceans: the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Arctic. Now, it is adding the Southern Ocean, the body of water that surrounds […]

    World’s Largest Iceberg Breaks off From Antarctica

    World’s Largest Iceberg Breaks off From Antarctica

    A massive chunk of ice broke off of Antarctica this month, and it is now the largest iceberg in the world. The iceberg, known as A-76, was first spotted by a British Antarctic Survey researcher May 13. It was then confirmed by the U.S. National Ice Center (USNIC) the next day using images from the […]