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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, April 19th 2024 - 05:48 UTC

Tag: British Antarctic Survey (BAS)

  • Saturday, November 19th 2016 - 12:02 UTC

    European scientists in Antarctica trying to locate the oldest ice on Earth

    Dr Robert Mulvaney from BAS is involved in the site survey at Little Dome C

    A team of European scientists heads to East Antarctica this month to locate the oldest ice on Earth. The team is part of an EU-funded research consortium from ten European countries whose aim is to search for a suitable site to drill an ice core to capture 1.5 million years of Earth’s climate history.

  • Tuesday, November 1st 2016 - 14:21 UTC

    Gentoo penguins proving to be the sturdiest in Antarctica

    Chinstraps have been in steady decline while gentoos have undergone a series of population fluctuations…although their over trend is upwards

    A forty year study on a remote Antarctic island shows that while populations of two penguin species are declining, while a third is increasing. Analysis of census data from Signy Island in the South Orkney Islands reveals that, between 1978 and 2016, the number of chinstrap penguin pairs declined by nearly 70%.

  • Monday, October 17th 2016 - 06:28 UTC

    Uruguayan scientists on HMS Protector en route to Antarctica for a joint research project

    Federico Weinstein and Carolina Rodríguez are travelling on HMS Protector on a scientific cruise to Antarctica (Pics; British Embassy Uruguay)

    Two Uruguayan young scientists are on board Ice Patrol HMS Protector en route to the Falkland Islands and Antarctica and will be participating in a research program on human impact on the Antarctic marine environment including pollution mainly by plastic made products. Federico Weinstein and Carolina Rodríguez belong to the Faculty of Sciences and represent the resumption of long standing links between the Ice Patrol and Montevideo.

  • Tuesday, August 9th 2016 - 22:18 UTC

    Seabirds threatened by by-catches, pollutants and climate change, according to BAS research

    Lead author Dr Richard Phillips from BAS says seabirds become hooked on baited hooks, trapped in nets or collide with warp cables, when scavenging for food

    A review of breeding distributions, population trends, threats and key priorities for conservation actions on land and at sea for the 29 species covered by the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) has been published in the journal Biological Conservation. It reveals increased conservation efforts are required in order to secure a sustainable future for albatrosses and large petrels.

  • Tuesday, July 26th 2016 - 17:33 UTC

    A recent pause in Antarctic Peninsula warming

    BAS Dr Robert Mulvaney says: “meteorological observations from the Antarctic Peninsula research stations only cover the last 60 years or so”

    The rapid warming of the Antarctic Peninsula, which occurred from the early-1950s to the late 1990s, has paused. Stabilisation of the ozone hole along with natural climate variability were significant in bringing about the change. Together these influences have now caused the northern part of the peninsula to enter a temporary cooling phase.

  • Friday, February 26th 2016 - 06:38 UTC

    Falklands' Gentoo penguins practice “kleptoparasitism”, shows study by South African scientist

    South African doctoral student Jonathan Handley (L) attaches a video camera to a Falklands gentoo, assisted by Alicky Davey, working with Falklands Conservation

    Penguins in addition to being stealthy swimmers and keen hunters, unique video footage has revealed a dark side: a video camera attached to the back of a gentoo penguin swimming off the Falkland Islands captures a violent underwater scuffle where penguins steal food right out of each other’s beaks.

  • Tuesday, January 19th 2016 - 07:04 UTC

    Ice Patrol HMS Protector concludes historic five week patrol to East Antarctica and Ross Sea

    The Ice Patrol breaking ice while sailing in the Ross Sea, and among other duties conducted CCAMLR inspections

    The Royal Navy’s Ice Patrol ship has just completed a historic five week patrol to the East Antarctic and Ross Sea. HMS Protector is the first Royal Navy, or UK Government, vessel to have visited the region in 80 years or to have travelled so far south having dipped below 77 degrees latitude.

  • Thursday, November 26th 2015 - 17:39 UTC

    UK's Cammell Laird will build BAS new £200 million polar research ship

    Cammell Laird chief executive, John Syvret CBE, met with NERC chief operating officer Paul Fox (L) to seal the deal in Birkenhead

    The Birkenhead shipyard Cammell Laird said it saw off competition from Europe and beyond including Korea and Singapore to be selected as the preferred bidder to build a new vessel for the UK-funded Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). The contract was signed last week and it is expected that full production will start in June next year, and on completion the vessel will be operated by NERC’s British Antarctic Survey (BAS).

  • Wednesday, October 14th 2015 - 05:57 UTC

    UK's new polar ship to be built in Britain; delivery scheduled for 2019

    The new ship will be operated by BAS and will be available to the whole U.K. research community, including for postgraduate training.

    The U.K. Government announced on Monday that Cammell Laird in Birkenhead has been selected as the preferred bidder to build the nation’s new £200 million polar research ship. The decision follows a 12-month competitive tender process that involved bids from companies in the U.K., Spain, Norway, Singapore and South Korea.

  • Friday, October 9th 2015 - 08:04 UTC

    Scientists flock to Falklands for vital South Georgia future research strategy

    Scientists and South Georgia representatives at Falklands' Government House on Tuesday evening

    Fifteen scientists from institutes around the world gathered in the Falkland Islands this week to assess future scientific requirements for South Georgia. Project manager Dr Vicky Peck from the British Antarctic Survey based in Cambridge explained that the South Georgia Future Science project wanted to identify what the scientific needs of the island were and how they could best be facilitated.