Environment

• Friday, March 9th 2012 - 00:39 UTC

  IAATO appoints new environmentalist

  

  Providence, RI. - The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) yesterday announced the appointment of South African environmentalist Claudia “Clouds” Holgate to the part-time position of Environmental Operations Assistant.

• Wednesday, March 7th 2012 - 16:55 UTC

  Invasive species threaten Antarctica; climate change and visitors boom blamed

  

  Antarctic tourists and scientists may be inadvertently seeding the icy continent with invasive species, a new study says. Foreign plants such as annual bluegrass are establishing themselves on Antarctica, whose status as the coldest and driest continent had long made it one of the most pristine environments on Earth.

• Wednesday, March 7th 2012 - 03:11 UTC

  The moon to blame for the sinking of the Titanic, says forensic astronomer

  

  A century after the Titanic disaster, scientists have found an unexpected culprit for the sinking: the moon. Anyone who knows history or has seen the blockbuster movies knows that the cause of the transatlantic liner's accident 100 years ago next month was that it hit an iceberg.

• Tuesday, March 6th 2012 - 05:33 UTC

  Argentina’s top climatologist forecasts 20/21 million tons or corn this season

  

  After back-to-back droughts, Argentine growers could have a record harvest of soybeans and corn next season as the La Niña weather phenomenon makes way for El Niño, one of the country's best-known forecasters anticipated.

• Tuesday, March 6th 2012 - 05:12 UTC

  Falklands names scientist as head of South Atlantic Environmental Research

  

  The Falkland Island Government announced the appointment of Dr Paul Brickle to the post of Director of the new South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute (SAERI).

• Monday, March 5th 2012 - 19:22 UTC

  Dalby man has his own island in the Falklands, a photographers’ paradise

  

  There aren’t too many people in the world who can say they own an island, but John Hellowell is one of them. Necker Island it isn’t, but Dalby man John Hellowell is justifiably proud of his piece of paradise – a small nature reserve in the Falkland Islands, known as The Kidneys.

• Tuesday, February 28th 2012 - 17:53 UTC

  Giant ‘Kariuku” penguins populated New Zealand some 27 million of years ago

  

  Palaeontologists have unearthed fossils of what they say the tallest ever penguin species that lived in what is now New Zealand some 27 million years ago. The he lanky bird that stood as high as 4.2 feet was also slimmer than modern penguins, with a long beak and flippers.

• Monday, February 27th 2012 - 17:25 UTC

  South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands announce Marine Protected Area

  

  UK Foreign Office Minister Henry Bellingham has welcomed the declaration of a Marine Protected Area (MPA) around the UK Overseas Territory of South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands.

• Monday, February 27th 2012 - 04:33 UTC

  Tragedy in Antarctica: “much improvisation” and “a great lesson for Chile”

  

  The tragedy in the Antarctic King George Island involving the Brazilian base should be “a great lesson for Chile” and is evidence that research scientists and military personnel coexist in Antarctica under “improvised conditions”.

• Monday, February 27th 2012 - 04:29 UTC

  Blaze destroys Brazilian Antarctic base; two dead when generator room exploded

  

  A fire broke out at Brazil's research station in Antarctica on Saturday, killing two navy personnel and forcing the evacuation by helicopter of about 40 other people, the government said.