British Antarctic Survey 🐧
@bas.ac.uk
We're the UK's polar research institute 👋 Uncovering the secrets of Earth's frozen places, doing science for a sustainable planet.
Looking for a seriously remote job? https://bas.ac.uk/vacancies
Looking for a seriously remote job? https://bas.ac.uk/vacancies
Will our mountains lose their snow and ice?
And does it matter if they do?
These questions are answered by BAS glaciologist Dr Hamish Pritchard in a major new UNESCO report for the UN International Year of Glaciers' Preservation.
Read the report here: https://ow.ly/TFTH50XptZc
And does it matter if they do?
These questions are answered by BAS glaciologist Dr Hamish Pritchard in a major new UNESCO report for the UN International Year of Glaciers' Preservation.
Read the report here: https://ow.ly/TFTH50XptZc
November 10, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Will our mountains lose their snow and ice?
And does it matter if they do?
These questions are answered by BAS glaciologist Dr Hamish Pritchard in a major new UNESCO report for the UN International Year of Glaciers' Preservation.
Read the report here: https://ow.ly/TFTH50XptZc
And does it matter if they do?
These questions are answered by BAS glaciologist Dr Hamish Pritchard in a major new UNESCO report for the UN International Year of Glaciers' Preservation.
Read the report here: https://ow.ly/TFTH50XptZc
Weekend goals: be as chilled out as this seal mum while handling breakfast time with the kids ☕
Marine scientists Katie Wells and Rhi Nichol took a moment to capture this serene scene while monitoring elephant seals in South Georgia, near Antarctica.
#WeekendMood
Marine scientists Katie Wells and Rhi Nichol took a moment to capture this serene scene while monitoring elephant seals in South Georgia, near Antarctica.
#WeekendMood
November 8, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Weekend goals: be as chilled out as this seal mum while handling breakfast time with the kids ☕
Marine scientists Katie Wells and Rhi Nichol took a moment to capture this serene scene while monitoring elephant seals in South Georgia, near Antarctica.
#WeekendMood
Marine scientists Katie Wells and Rhi Nichol took a moment to capture this serene scene while monitoring elephant seals in South Georgia, near Antarctica.
#WeekendMood
Here's the latest weather reports the @metoffice.gov.uk have put together to help our team travel to Halley Research Station on Antarctica's Brunt Ice Shelf.
The team use these reports and webcams at Halley to judge conditions - really tricky predict in detail over such a large and remote area.
The team use these reports and webcams at Halley to judge conditions - really tricky predict in detail over such a large and remote area.
November 5, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Here's the latest weather reports the @metoffice.gov.uk have put together to help our team travel to Halley Research Station on Antarctica's Brunt Ice Shelf.
The team use these reports and webcams at Halley to judge conditions - really tricky predict in detail over such a large and remote area.
The team use these reports and webcams at Halley to judge conditions - really tricky predict in detail over such a large and remote area.
To get to Halley Research Station, the team fly from Heathrow to Cape Town, then on to Wolf’s Fang camp.
This is where the team are now, waiting for a window of good weather so they can fly on to Halley, via Neumayer Research Station, run by the German Antarctic Programme.
This is where the team are now, waiting for a window of good weather so they can fly on to Halley, via Neumayer Research Station, run by the German Antarctic Programme.
November 5, 2025 at 5:26 PM
To get to Halley Research Station, the team fly from Heathrow to Cape Town, then on to Wolf’s Fang camp.
This is where the team are now, waiting for a window of good weather so they can fly on to Halley, via Neumayer Research Station, run by the German Antarctic Programme.
This is where the team are now, waiting for a window of good weather so they can fly on to Halley, via Neumayer Research Station, run by the German Antarctic Programme.
Landing at Wolf's Fang, a staging camp on the Antarctic continent 🇦🇶
The team are on the way to Halley Research Station on the Brunt Ice Shelf.
They were meant to get to Halley today, but weather on the rest of their route is causing delays. Not a bad view to wait with though, eh?
The team are on the way to Halley Research Station on the Brunt Ice Shelf.
They were meant to get to Halley today, but weather on the rest of their route is causing delays. Not a bad view to wait with though, eh?
November 5, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Landing at Wolf's Fang, a staging camp on the Antarctic continent 🇦🇶
The team are on the way to Halley Research Station on the Brunt Ice Shelf.
They were meant to get to Halley today, but weather on the rest of their route is causing delays. Not a bad view to wait with though, eh?
The team are on the way to Halley Research Station on the Brunt Ice Shelf.
They were meant to get to Halley today, but weather on the rest of their route is causing delays. Not a bad view to wait with though, eh?
We were researching the history of Rothera Research Station, and stumbled across this incredible photo.
It's giving Batcopter 🚁
The UK's first major aerial survey of the Antarctic Peninsula was 1955-57. The Falkland Island Dependencies Aerial Survey Expedition used flying boats and helicopters ⬇️
It's giving Batcopter 🚁
The UK's first major aerial survey of the Antarctic Peninsula was 1955-57. The Falkland Island Dependencies Aerial Survey Expedition used flying boats and helicopters ⬇️
October 28, 2025 at 4:59 PM
We were researching the history of Rothera Research Station, and stumbled across this incredible photo.
It's giving Batcopter 🚁
The UK's first major aerial survey of the Antarctic Peninsula was 1955-57. The Falkland Island Dependencies Aerial Survey Expedition used flying boats and helicopters ⬇️
It's giving Batcopter 🚁
The UK's first major aerial survey of the Antarctic Peninsula was 1955-57. The Falkland Island Dependencies Aerial Survey Expedition used flying boats and helicopters ⬇️
A new era begins! 💡 The Discovery Building at the Rothera Research Station is finally coming to life this season.
It's the new beating heart of the UK's largest Antarctic station, bringing much of the station under one roof.
It's the new beating heart of the UK's largest Antarctic station, bringing much of the station under one roof.
October 24, 2025 at 2:09 PM
A new era begins! 💡 The Discovery Building at the Rothera Research Station is finally coming to life this season.
It's the new beating heart of the UK's largest Antarctic station, bringing much of the station under one roof.
It's the new beating heart of the UK's largest Antarctic station, bringing much of the station under one roof.
Look at this one. Tell us how long it would take you to accurately label this by hand. AGES.
What's the hurry? ⏰ Most creatures in the Southern Ocean are adapted only for the cold.
We're racing against the clock to understand what animals live there and which species are at greatest risk.
🧵 3/4
What's the hurry? ⏰ Most creatures in the Southern Ocean are adapted only for the cold.
We're racing against the clock to understand what animals live there and which species are at greatest risk.
🧵 3/4
October 20, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Look at this one. Tell us how long it would take you to accurately label this by hand. AGES.
What's the hurry? ⏰ Most creatures in the Southern Ocean are adapted only for the cold.
We're racing against the clock to understand what animals live there and which species are at greatest risk.
🧵 3/4
What's the hurry? ⏰ Most creatures in the Southern Ocean are adapted only for the cold.
We're racing against the clock to understand what animals live there and which species are at greatest risk.
🧵 3/4
📣 Dr @camerontrotter.bsky.social explains:
"The images are packed full of weird and unusually shaped animals, often living on top of each other - some of which have never been seen before."
The team trained AI to identify seafloor creatures near Antarctica, like starfish, corals, and fish.
🧵 2/4
"The images are packed full of weird and unusually shaped animals, often living on top of each other - some of which have never been seen before."
The team trained AI to identify seafloor creatures near Antarctica, like starfish, corals, and fish.
🧵 2/4
October 20, 2025 at 4:44 PM
📣 Dr @camerontrotter.bsky.social explains:
"The images are packed full of weird and unusually shaped animals, often living on top of each other - some of which have never been seen before."
The team trained AI to identify seafloor creatures near Antarctica, like starfish, corals, and fish.
🧵 2/4
"The images are packed full of weird and unusually shaped animals, often living on top of each other - some of which have never been seen before."
The team trained AI to identify seafloor creatures near Antarctica, like starfish, corals, and fish.
🧵 2/4
Supercharged seafloor spotting! 🐚
Our AI and science teams have been using machine learning to label surveys of the Antarctic seafloor. It's dramatically sped them up from <8 hours per photo, to a few seconds.
This one looks like a quick job. But stay with us as we up the difficulty...
🧵 1/4
Our AI and science teams have been using machine learning to label surveys of the Antarctic seafloor. It's dramatically sped them up from <8 hours per photo, to a few seconds.
This one looks like a quick job. But stay with us as we up the difficulty...
🧵 1/4
October 20, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Supercharged seafloor spotting! 🐚
Our AI and science teams have been using machine learning to label surveys of the Antarctic seafloor. It's dramatically sped them up from <8 hours per photo, to a few seconds.
This one looks like a quick job. But stay with us as we up the difficulty...
🧵 1/4
Our AI and science teams have been using machine learning to label surveys of the Antarctic seafloor. It's dramatically sped them up from <8 hours per photo, to a few seconds.
This one looks like a quick job. But stay with us as we up the difficulty...
🧵 1/4
🦐 POETS – Western Core Box (WCB): tracking krill populations at South Georgia, crucial for biodiversity and carbon dioxide absorption in the Southern Ocean
ITV spoke to our teams on the RRS Sir David Attenborough ahead of their departure - watch them here:
www.itv.com/watch/news/o...
🧵 4/4
ITV spoke to our teams on the RRS Sir David Attenborough ahead of their departure - watch them here:
www.itv.com/watch/news/o...
🧵 4/4
October 16, 2025 at 2:49 PM
🦐 POETS – Western Core Box (WCB): tracking krill populations at South Georgia, crucial for biodiversity and carbon dioxide absorption in the Southern Ocean
ITV spoke to our teams on the RRS Sir David Attenborough ahead of their departure - watch them here:
www.itv.com/watch/news/o...
🧵 4/4
ITV spoke to our teams on the RRS Sir David Attenborough ahead of their departure - watch them here:
www.itv.com/watch/news/o...
🧵 4/4
🧊 Thwaites Glacier: partnering with the Korean Polar Research Institute on a project to understand ice–ocean melt processes, in this fast-changing part of Antarctica
🔨 IRON-MAN: Investigating how iron and manganese control Southern Ocean productivity and carbon cycling
🧵 3/4
🔨 IRON-MAN: Investigating how iron and manganese control Southern Ocean productivity and carbon cycling
🧵 3/4
October 16, 2025 at 2:49 PM
🧊 Thwaites Glacier: partnering with the Korean Polar Research Institute on a project to understand ice–ocean melt processes, in this fast-changing part of Antarctica
🔨 IRON-MAN: Investigating how iron and manganese control Southern Ocean productivity and carbon cycling
🧵 3/4
🔨 IRON-MAN: Investigating how iron and manganese control Southern Ocean productivity and carbon cycling
🧵 3/4
Major projects this season include...
🚢 POLOMINTS: studying how underwater waves mix ocean heat and nutrients, linking glacier calving to ocean circulation
⏪ REWIND: ice-core drilling to reconstruct 11,000 years of carbon exchange between the Southern Ocean and the atmosphere in high detail
🧵 2/4
🚢 POLOMINTS: studying how underwater waves mix ocean heat and nutrients, linking glacier calving to ocean circulation
⏪ REWIND: ice-core drilling to reconstruct 11,000 years of carbon exchange between the Southern Ocean and the atmosphere in high detail
🧵 2/4
October 16, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Major projects this season include...
🚢 POLOMINTS: studying how underwater waves mix ocean heat and nutrients, linking glacier calving to ocean circulation
⏪ REWIND: ice-core drilling to reconstruct 11,000 years of carbon exchange between the Southern Ocean and the atmosphere in high detail
🧵 2/4
🚢 POLOMINTS: studying how underwater waves mix ocean heat and nutrients, linking glacier calving to ocean circulation
⏪ REWIND: ice-core drilling to reconstruct 11,000 years of carbon exchange between the Southern Ocean and the atmosphere in high detail
🧵 2/4
Let the science begin!
Spring has sprung in Antarctica, our aircraft have landed, and #RRSSirDavidAttenborough leaves the UK tomorrow.
This season our teams will deliver more than 60 science projects at research stations, on the ship, and in remote deep field and marine locations.
🧵 1/4
Spring has sprung in Antarctica, our aircraft have landed, and #RRSSirDavidAttenborough leaves the UK tomorrow.
This season our teams will deliver more than 60 science projects at research stations, on the ship, and in remote deep field and marine locations.
🧵 1/4
October 16, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Let the science begin!
Spring has sprung in Antarctica, our aircraft have landed, and #RRSSirDavidAttenborough leaves the UK tomorrow.
This season our teams will deliver more than 60 science projects at research stations, on the ship, and in remote deep field and marine locations.
🧵 1/4
Spring has sprung in Antarctica, our aircraft have landed, and #RRSSirDavidAttenborough leaves the UK tomorrow.
This season our teams will deliver more than 60 science projects at research stations, on the ship, and in remote deep field and marine locations.
🧵 1/4
There's three zones to consider:
🌳 primary forest (not disturbed by people)
🪵 degraded forest (damaged/partly cut down)
🔥 areas affected by fires
The analysis will help us to understand the Amazon’s shifting role in the global climate cycle.
Want more? climate.esa.int/en/supportin...
🧵 4/4
🌳 primary forest (not disturbed by people)
🪵 degraded forest (damaged/partly cut down)
🔥 areas affected by fires
The analysis will help us to understand the Amazon’s shifting role in the global climate cycle.
Want more? climate.esa.int/en/supportin...
🧵 4/4
October 9, 2025 at 12:56 PM
There's three zones to consider:
🌳 primary forest (not disturbed by people)
🪵 degraded forest (damaged/partly cut down)
🔥 areas affected by fires
The analysis will help us to understand the Amazon’s shifting role in the global climate cycle.
Want more? climate.esa.int/en/supportin...
🧵 4/4
🌳 primary forest (not disturbed by people)
🪵 degraded forest (damaged/partly cut down)
🔥 areas affected by fires
The analysis will help us to understand the Amazon’s shifting role in the global climate cycle.
Want more? climate.esa.int/en/supportin...
🧵 4/4
But! There's a team of scientists from Brazil, the UK and Europe on the case to find out what's happening.
They are looking at the emissions patterns from inside the forest, from space, and sampling the atmosphere with a plane (that's us).
🧵 3/4
They are looking at the emissions patterns from inside the forest, from space, and sampling the atmosphere with a plane (that's us).
🧵 3/4
October 9, 2025 at 12:56 PM
But! There's a team of scientists from Brazil, the UK and Europe on the case to find out what's happening.
They are looking at the emissions patterns from inside the forest, from space, and sampling the atmosphere with a plane (that's us).
🧵 3/4
They are looking at the emissions patterns from inside the forest, from space, and sampling the atmosphere with a plane (that's us).
🧵 3/4
There's evidence that the Amazon's ability to absorb carbon is weakening. In fact, it could even become a carbon source.
That's a problem, because it stores hundreds of billions of tonnes of carbon in its trees and soil, offsetting some of the excess carbon that humans are creating.
🧵 2/4
That's a problem, because it stores hundreds of billions of tonnes of carbon in its trees and soil, offsetting some of the excess carbon that humans are creating.
🧵 2/4
October 9, 2025 at 12:56 PM
There's evidence that the Amazon's ability to absorb carbon is weakening. In fact, it could even become a carbon source.
That's a problem, because it stores hundreds of billions of tonnes of carbon in its trees and soil, offsetting some of the excess carbon that humans are creating.
🧵 2/4
That's a problem, because it stores hundreds of billions of tonnes of carbon in its trees and soil, offsetting some of the excess carbon that humans are creating.
🧵 2/4
Ice Cold Katy is in the tropics! ✈️
One of our science aircraft is helping with an important survey of the Amazon rainforest, en route to Antarctica.
Today's survey flight departs at 3.30pm UK time: track VP-FAZ here: tinyurl.com/mwb25m6a
Why? It's all about carbon...
🧵 1/4
One of our science aircraft is helping with an important survey of the Amazon rainforest, en route to Antarctica.
Today's survey flight departs at 3.30pm UK time: track VP-FAZ here: tinyurl.com/mwb25m6a
Why? It's all about carbon...
🧵 1/4
October 9, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Ice Cold Katy is in the tropics! ✈️
One of our science aircraft is helping with an important survey of the Amazon rainforest, en route to Antarctica.
Today's survey flight departs at 3.30pm UK time: track VP-FAZ here: tinyurl.com/mwb25m6a
Why? It's all about carbon...
🧵 1/4
One of our science aircraft is helping with an important survey of the Amazon rainforest, en route to Antarctica.
Today's survey flight departs at 3.30pm UK time: track VP-FAZ here: tinyurl.com/mwb25m6a
Why? It's all about carbon...
🧵 1/4
Dr Liz Thomas joins The Climate Question on the BBC World Service to talk about ice cores. These frozen time capsules are unlocking Earth's climate history and helping predict its future.
Listen now on BBC Sounds: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct702g
#ClimateScience #IceCores
Listen now on BBC Sounds: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct702g
#ClimateScience #IceCores
October 8, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Dr Liz Thomas joins The Climate Question on the BBC World Service to talk about ice cores. These frozen time capsules are unlocking Earth's climate history and helping predict its future.
Listen now on BBC Sounds: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct702g
#ClimateScience #IceCores
Listen now on BBC Sounds: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct702g
#ClimateScience #IceCores
🧊Our researchers have just finished analysing ancient Antarctic ice spanning 1.2 million years of climate history!
The Beyond EPICA project extends the ice core climate record by 400,000 years, helping us to understand long-term climate patterns and improve future predictions.
The Beyond EPICA project extends the ice core climate record by 400,000 years, helping us to understand long-term climate patterns and improve future predictions.
October 2, 2025 at 12:42 PM
🧊Our researchers have just finished analysing ancient Antarctic ice spanning 1.2 million years of climate history!
The Beyond EPICA project extends the ice core climate record by 400,000 years, helping us to understand long-term climate patterns and improve future predictions.
The Beyond EPICA project extends the ice core climate record by 400,000 years, helping us to understand long-term climate patterns and improve future predictions.
In three days, our iconic red planes will take off from Canada to make the epic journey across the world to Antarctica.
These flights mark the start of a new polar science season.
BUT ALSO that means there's three days left to send your name to Antarctica with us! tickettoantarctica.com
These flights mark the start of a new polar science season.
BUT ALSO that means there's three days left to send your name to Antarctica with us! tickettoantarctica.com
September 29, 2025 at 3:43 PM
In three days, our iconic red planes will take off from Canada to make the epic journey across the world to Antarctica.
These flights mark the start of a new polar science season.
BUT ALSO that means there's three days left to send your name to Antarctica with us! tickettoantarctica.com
These flights mark the start of a new polar science season.
BUT ALSO that means there's three days left to send your name to Antarctica with us! tickettoantarctica.com
Polar scientists meeting at @royalsociety.org
in London this week are issuing a stark warning: dramatic and extreme changes in Antarctica are happening faster than expected, with consequences that will affect everyone on the planet.
www.bas.ac.uk/media-post/a...
in London this week are issuing a stark warning: dramatic and extreme changes in Antarctica are happening faster than expected, with consequences that will affect everyone on the planet.
www.bas.ac.uk/media-post/a...
September 29, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Polar scientists meeting at @royalsociety.org
in London this week are issuing a stark warning: dramatic and extreme changes in Antarctica are happening faster than expected, with consequences that will affect everyone on the planet.
www.bas.ac.uk/media-post/a...
in London this week are issuing a stark warning: dramatic and extreme changes in Antarctica are happening faster than expected, with consequences that will affect everyone on the planet.
www.bas.ac.uk/media-post/a...
Want to know what it takes to live and work in Antarctica? Planning and training – and lots of it. 📝💻
In this episode of Iceworld, host Nadia Frontier speaks to Michaela Boak, BAS’s Deployment Support Coordinator.
🧵1/2
In this episode of Iceworld, host Nadia Frontier speaks to Michaela Boak, BAS’s Deployment Support Coordinator.
🧵1/2
September 22, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Want to know what it takes to live and work in Antarctica? Planning and training – and lots of it. 📝💻
In this episode of Iceworld, host Nadia Frontier speaks to Michaela Boak, BAS’s Deployment Support Coordinator.
🧵1/2
In this episode of Iceworld, host Nadia Frontier speaks to Michaela Boak, BAS’s Deployment Support Coordinator.
🧵1/2
Hope you took in that bit about the ecosystems monitoring we do at King Edward Point Research Station while you were enjoying your penguin and iceberg content!
Here's a few more chinstraps for the road.
🧵 5/5
Here's a few more chinstraps for the road.
🧵 5/5
September 16, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Hope you took in that bit about the ecosystems monitoring we do at King Edward Point Research Station while you were enjoying your penguin and iceberg content!
Here's a few more chinstraps for the road.
🧵 5/5
Here's a few more chinstraps for the road.
🧵 5/5
But LUCKILY there was a nice safe 1km gap between bergs that allowed them to navigate on, safely along the planned transect route.
🧵 4/5
🧵 4/5
September 16, 2025 at 1:16 PM
But LUCKILY there was a nice safe 1km gap between bergs that allowed them to navigate on, safely along the planned transect route.
🧵 4/5
🧵 4/5