Marine life hitching a ride on ocean-crossing ships poses a threat to Antarctica’s pristine ecosystems, with the potential for invasive species to arrive from almost anywhere across the globe, say the authors of a new study.
The massive Thwaites glacier in West Antarctica contains enough ice to raise global sea levels by 65cm if it were to completely collapse. And, worryingly, recent research suggests that its long-term stability is doubtful as the glacier hemorrhages more and more ice.
After calling at Rothera, the RRS Sir David Attenborough will continue its mission South, making calls at Signy, King Edward Point and Bird Island research stations, and heading to the Stange Ice Front for its ice trials.
Using modern methods to calculate projected changes to sea levels, researchers discovered that the two ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica respond differently, reflecting their very distinct local climates.
On the eve of Independence Day, Ukraine acquired British icebreaker James Clark Ross. The ship will arrive in Odesa under the Ukrainian flag. This is expected to happen in early autumn.
