Environment

• Thursday, March 3rd 2011 - 18:36 UTC

  Antarctic tour operators support prosecution of Berserk yacht owner

  

  The International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators, (IAATO) in a statement released Thursday called the incident of the Norwegian yacht Berserk that went missing in Antarctic waters last week ‘tragic’ but also underlines the vessel did not have proper authorization or permits for their expedition and fully supports Norwegian prosecuting authorities for their investigation into the case.

• Wednesday, March 2nd 2011 - 17:21 UTC

  Insurers’ bill for the New Zealand earthquake climbs to 12 billion USD

  

  One of the world's biggest re-insurers Swiss Re described the New Zealand earthquake as a ''significant event'' for the global insurance industry, as it warned insurance losses from the disaster could top 12 billion US dollars.

• Monday, February 28th 2011 - 00:00 UTC

  Warm weather prevents full use of costly Australian Antarctica airfield

  

  An Australian airfield in Antarctica at a cost of 40 million US dollars and which was opened just three years ago may have become a short-lived victim of climate change, as unusually warm weather this summer has prevented flights landing there.

• Thursday, February 24th 2011 - 16:40 UTC

  Quake’s knock to NZ economy estimated in 9 to 12 billion US dollars

  

  The Prime Minister of New Zealand, John Key, says emergency teams in Christchurch are now focusing on recovering bodies, rather than finding survivors of the earthquake.
  He has confirmed that 98 people are known to have been killed in the recent earthquake, and more than 200 others are still missing.

• Thursday, February 24th 2011 - 16:33 UTC

  HMS Scott on Ice Patrol and Antarctic sea deep water survey mapping

  

  The Royal Navy ocean survey ship HMS Scott has returned to Antarctica for Ice patrol duties that include scientific research in coordination with the UK Hydrographic Office and the British Antarctic Survey.

• Thursday, February 24th 2011 - 06:45 UTC

  Magnetic observatory in South Georgia to track the “South Atlantic Anomaly”

  

  A magnetic observatory is being re-established on South Georgia to provide vital data on the 'South Atlantic Anomaly' as scientists monitor a possible reversal of the earth's magnetic field. This field, generated deep within the planet, shields against particle radiation from space.

• Thursday, February 24th 2011 - 00:08 UTC

  South Georgia ready to launch the world’s biggest rodent eradication campaign

  

  The world’s biggest ever attempted rodent eradication campaign to be launched in South Georgia is only a few weeks away according to the South Georgia Heritage Trust's (SGHT) Habitat Restoration Project and reported in the January edition of the South Georgia newsletter.

• Tuesday, February 22nd 2011 - 14:44 UTC

  NZ quake kills 65; 100 people trapped in the rubble; major glacier cracks

  

  More than 100 people are believed to be trapped in rubble after a deadly 6.3-magnitude earthquake rocked the southern New Zealand city of Christchurch on Tuesday, killing at least 65 people.

• Tuesday, February 22nd 2011 - 06:19 UTC

  “Multiple fatalities” as quake strikes New Zealand’s second city at busy mid-day

  

  Rescuers dug frantically for bodies and people trapped after a major 6.3 earthquake caused “multiple” deaths in New Zealand's second city of Christchurch Tuesday, crushing buildings and vehicles.

• Monday, February 21st 2011 - 17:16 UTC

  Krill sex caught on camera in 700 metres deep Antarctic waters

  

  In a world first, the sex life of Antarctic Krill in the wild has been caught on camera revealing the shrimp-like creatures are able to mate deeper in the ocean than previously thought.