Antarctica

• Tuesday, July 19th 2011 - 02:13 UTC

  Coin recalls the centenary of the legendary “race to the South Pole”

  

  The centenary of the legendary ‘Race to the South Pole’ between Britain’s Robert Falcon Scott and Norway’s Ronald Amundsen is marked by a new SGSSI coin just released by Pobjoy Mint, announced the June edition of the South Georgia Newsletter.

• Tuesday, July 12th 2011 - 03:47 UTC

  South Georgia mentioned as example of longline fisheries seabirds protection

  

  A new global estimate of the impact of longline fisheries on seabirds reveals that, despite efforts to reduce seabird deaths, upwards of 300,000 birds are still being killed every year. However South Georgia is praised for having imposed strict regulations that have seen seabird deaths as bycatch drop by 99%.

• Tuesday, July 12th 2011 - 03:38 UTC

  BAS James Clark Ross discovers underwater volcanoes in South Sandwich Islands

  

  Scientists who have discovered previously unknown underwater volcanoes around the remote South Sandwich Islands in the southern Atlantic Ocean say the research is important to help understand what happens when volcanoes erupt or collapse underwater.

• Friday, June 24th 2011 - 18:19 UTC

  HMS Protector formally commissioned as the Royal Navy new Ice patrol

  

  HMS Protector the Royal Navy's new Ice patrol ship has been formally commissioned into the fleet on Thursday, 23 June, the 50th anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty at Portsmouth naval base.

• Monday, June 20th 2011 - 06:15 UTC

  Antarctic Treaty half a century celebration this week in Buenos Aires

  

  Signatories of the Antarctic Treaty would celebrate the pact's 50th anniversary here on June 23 while attending the treaty's 34th consultative meeting, Argentine Foreign Ministry said Friday.

• Tuesday, June 14th 2011 - 13:49 UTC

  Antarctica visitors drop 8.3% in 2010/11 and 25% fall for 2011/12 season, forecasts IAATO

  

  The total number of visitors to Antarctica during the 2010/11 season, and traveling with IAATO member-operators, was 33,824. This includes those traveling on traditional expedition ships, yachts, larger cruise-only vessels as well visitors participating in land programs. The overall seasonal results reflect a decrease of 8.3% last year’s total of 36,875 passengers.

• Friday, June 3rd 2011 - 18:01 UTC

  Penguins’ winter huddle clusters are all the time on motion to keep warm

  

  The mystery of how penguins stay warm while they huddle has been revealed by an international team of scientists. Emperor penguins survive the tough Antarctic winters by forming tightly packed clusters - but scientists have pondered how penguins on the outside stay as cosy as those in the centre.

• Wednesday, June 1st 2011 - 09:09 UTC

  South Georgia ordinance gives new powers to protect unique natural environment

  

  Tuesday afternoon on May 31st saw the signing of the Wild Life and Protected Areas Ordinance for the Government of the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI).

• Sunday, May 29th 2011 - 20:05 UTC

  Argentine refurbished ice-breaker should be ready for 2012/13 Antarctic season

  

  The Argentine navy icebreaker “Almirante Irizar” which became an almost total loss in 2007 should be back fully refurbished and operational for the 2012/2013 Antarctic season following an investment of over 100 million US dollars reveals the Buenos Aires press.

• Friday, May 27th 2011 - 08:16 UTC

  South Georgia marine biodiversity richer than the Galapagos Islands

  

  Sea spiders the size of dinner plates and two-meter-long ribbon worms that eat prey several times their own size were among the 1,400-plus species cataloged by the British Antarctic Service in a comprehensive study of marine life around South Georgia Island.