All articles tagged with #polar research
A rare underwater photograph of a Ross seal, one of the least studied Antarctic marine mammals, was captured by Justin Hofman during an expedition, providing new insights into the species' behavior and anatomy in its natural habitat for the first time.
The remains of British meteorologist Dennis Bell, who died in Antarctica in 1959 after falling into a crevasse, were discovered 66 years later due to melting glacier ice, and DNA testing confirmed his identity, bringing closure to a long-standing mystery.
Antarctic sea ice has been shrinking since 2015, with a surprising increase in surrounding ocean salinity linked to a collapse in ice extent, possibly due to unknown deep ocean processes, which could accelerate climate change impacts and require further investigation.
China has resumed construction on its fifth Antarctic station, which is expected to include an observatory with a satellite ground station, according to satellite imagery collected by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The new station, on Inexpressible Island near the Ross Sea, is expected to help China "fill in a major gap" in its ability to access the continent. However, Western governments worry that China's increasing presence in the polar regions could provide the People's Liberation Army with better surveillance capabilities and that the station could be used for espionage.