Antarctica

Scientists have found a new explanation for why Antarctica became covered in ice millions of years before the Arctic. The international study, published in Science, addresses a long-standing climate mystery: how Antarctica could develop a massive ice sheet at a time when Earth was around 5ºC warmer than it is…

The frozen landscape of Antarctica is holding a dangerous metal. The continent is releasing higher levels of mercury into the ocean and marine ecosystem because of climate change, and the toxic metal is accumulating in the region’s wildlife, causing health problems in the food chain. Mercury has also reached the…

Australian specialist aviation operator Skytraders evacuated an American from McMurdo Station in Antartica on July 31. The American was transported to Christchurch, New Zealand, where they were receiving medical treatment as of Friday. Photo courtesy Skytraders Aug. 7 (UPI) -- An American was evacuated from Antarctica to a New Zealand…

Long space missions can force small crews to endure isolation, cramped living conditions, and intense psychological pressure for months at a time. To better understand how those conditions shape teamwork, an international research group studied a ten-month overwintering mission at Concordia Station in Antarctica. The research was led by Jan…

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The people wintering at Concordia Research Station spend four months without sunlight and live beyond the reach of aircraft. Once winter sets in, no plane can reach the Antarctic base, and the nearest other people are about 370 miles (600 kilometres) away at Vostok Station, according to the European Space…

The Taylor Glacier in Antarctica seems normal on the surface, except for one glaring feature: an outflow of blood-red saltwater that makes it look like the glacier itself is sporting a constantly gushing wound. Beneath the glacier, however, lie signs of a hidden community of microbial life. Even in the…

Twice each year, around 40,000 humpback whales follow the Eurobodalla's coast, heading north in winter to breed and calve in warmer waters before returning south each spring to the krill-rich feeding grounds of Antarctica. The 10,000-kilometre journey is one of nature's great migrations and a new short film shows there's…

At the end of a glacier deep in East Antarctica's Taylor Valley, there is a haunting waterfall that oozes red brine like a bleeding wound in the ice. Scientists explained the brine's gory hue several years ago, finding that it is exceptionally rich in iron . And now, they may…

Blood Falls at Antarctica’s Taylor Glacier. Iron-rich subglacial brine emerges, creating the striking red outflow. Image: Bryan Minnear   Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. By signing up, you confirm you are 16+, will receive newsletters and promotional content and…