Get our news on your inbox! x

Remember me Forgot password

MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, May 17th 2025 - 22:55 UTC

Antarctica

  • Wednesday, July 11th 2018 - 06:55 UTC

    Britain's new polar research ship scheduled to hit the water next Saturday

    RRS Attenborough represents the largest commercial ship built in UK in three decades. The hull should make quite a sight as her steelwork floats into the Mersey (Pic Cammell Laird and BAS )

    The assembled hull of Britain's new polar research vessel, RRS Sir David Attenborough is now standing on the slipway of the Cammell Laird yard in Birkenhead, awaiting launch day. Weather and tide permitting, she should slide into the River Mersey on Saturday, July 14th.

  • Thursday, June 14th 2018 - 07:24 UTC

    Antarctica ice sheet melting faster than expected, adding 0.6mm to sea level every year

    Antarctica stores enough water to raise global sea levels by 58 meters, and has contributed 7.6mm since 1992, according to the research published in Nature.

    The Antarctic ice sheet has lost more than 2,500 billion tons of ice in the past 25 years and nearly half of that has happened since 2012. An international team of polar scientists found that melting in Antarctica has jumped sharply from an average of 76 billion tons per year prior to 2012, to around 219 billion tones each year between 2012 and 2017.

  • Wednesday, June 6th 2018 - 08:41 UTC

    Argentina's national team cancels audience with Pope Francis

    “The audience of the Pope with the Argentina national team set for tomorrow [Wednesday] has been called off”

    Argentina's national team have cancelled an audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican that was scheduled to take place on Wednesday, the Holy See has announced. The Albiceleste are preparing for the World Cup and have been training in Barcelona since May 31.

  • Thursday, May 31st 2018 - 08:20 UTC

    Japanese whale hunt slaughters 122 pregnant minke whales

    The latest figures show that of 333 minke Antarctic whales killed last summer, 181 were females. Some 122 females, or 67%, were pregnant.

    More than 120 pregnant whales were slaughtered in the latest Japanese whale hunt in Antarctica's Southern Ocean, new documents show, reigniting calls to step up efforts to stop the annual killing spree. A further 114 immature whales were killed as part of the so-called “scientific” whaling program, according to meeting papers from the International Whaling Commission's scientific committee meeting this month.

  • Thursday, May 17th 2018 - 08:31 UTC

    Someone is cheating with ozone warn scientists: rate of decline has fallen drastically

    The ozone layer in the stratosphere, 10-to-40 kilometers above Earth's surface, protects life on the planet from deadly ultraviolet radiation.

    The decline in the atmosphere of an ozone-depleting chemical banned by the Montreal Protocol has recently slowed by half, suggesting a serious violation of the 196-nation treaty, researchers revealed Wednesday.

  • Monday, May 14th 2018 - 20:04 UTC

    Argentina/UK: Agreement to enhance Antarctic scientific co-operation

    BAS Director Jane Francis and IAA Director Rodolfo Sánchez signed a Memorandum of Understanding

    The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and the Instituto Antártico Argentino (IAA) today signed a memorandum of understanding.The agreement will enable the implementation of joint science and technology research projects as well as enhanced training and exchange of personnel. .

  • Sunday, May 13th 2018 - 13:43 UTC

    Falklands attended the IAATO annual conference in United States

    Steph Middleton is Executive Director of Falklands Tourist Board; Carl Sudder is Tourism Coordinator at Sulivan Shipping and Chair of Falklands Travel Assoc.

    Falkland Islands tourism ambassadors Steph Middleton and Carli Sudder are returning from the United States after attending this year’s International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO) conference in Newport, Rhode Island. Steph Middleton is Executive Director of the Falkland Islands Tourist Board, while Carl Sudder is Tourism Coordinator at Sulivan Shipping and Chair of the Falklands Travel Association.

  • Thursday, May 10th 2018 - 18:34 UTC

    IAATO’s Responsible Tourism Conference votes new and revised guidelines

    Over 140 people attended the meeting at Newport from May 1-3, representing IAATO member companies and invited stakeholders

    The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) has concluded its 27th annual meeting in Newport, Rhode Island, USA having agreed to strengthen its mission of promoting the practice of safe, environmentally responsible travel to the Antarctic.

  • Wednesday, May 2nd 2018 - 08:13 UTC

    UK-US launch Antarctica research program to predict sea-level rise

    The mission will deploy teams of researchers, using a suite of technologies to investigate changes on the ice and in the ocean.

    A new UK-U.S. Antarctic research program to improve the prediction of future sea-level rise was launched on Monday at British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Cambridge. The £20 million 5-year research collaboration, funded jointly by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), brings together over 100 polar scientists from leading UK and U.S. research organizations.

  • Tuesday, May 1st 2018 - 10:20 UTC

    IAATO reports Antarctica visitors increased 17% in the 2017/18 season over previous year

    Overall, the total number of Antarctic visitors in 2017-2018 was 51,707, an increase of 17% compared to the previous season.

    The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) reported its visitor numbers for the 2017-2018 Antarctic season at the start of its annual meeting in Newport, Rhode Island, USA. IAATO has been monitoring, analyzing and reporting trends since 1991 as part of its commitment to ‘leave only footprints’ through the effective self-management of its activities.