Beyond the Ice

Artist Rowan Huntley and British Antarctic Survey Geochemist Dr Joanne Johnson have been working together to translate polar science into art. Their exhibition at the The Polar Museum in Cambridge is Rowan’s creative response to Jo's research into glaciers, ice sheets, and the geology of Antarctica.  This collaboration comes at a critical moment. The climate crisis is no longer a distant threat, yet scientific data can be overwhelming, and abstract numbers can leave people feeling disconnected rather than motivated to act. Art offers another way in, transforming the science into something tangible, emotional, and open to questioning. It invites audiences to engage with the realities of climate change on different, more human terms.  -- Beyond the Ice helps you unpack the latest news in climate science with the experts at British Antarctic Survey. Our planet is changing at a rate and scale unlike anything seen in human history - and Earth's frozen places are the front line. After all, what happens in Antarctica doesn’t stay in Antarctica. -- Beyond the Ice is also available as a LinkedIn Newsletter. Subscribe here: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/beyond-the-ice-7114973466654560256/  This episode is presented by Em Newton, and edited by Tabby Taylor Buck. 

Geoengineering is the hot topic in climate science debate - drawing increasingly emotive and divisive responses, as investment in blue-sky engineering proposals grows and progress on decarbonisation stutters. Geoengineering is the deliberate, large scale intervention in Earth's environment and natural systems. As the impacts of climate change start to be felt, preliminary ideas like putting a huge underwater curtain around the unstable Thwaites Glacier are getting more and more media time. Are these necessary tools for climate adaption, or dangerous distractions? Professor Dame Jane Francis, Director of British Antarctic Survey, delves into the reality of why we are turning towards geoengineering tools, and the urgent need for scientific engagement to ensure the potential impacts of these technologies are fully assessed. -- Beyond the Ice helps you unpack the latest news in climate science with the experts at British Antarctic Survey. Our planet is changing at a rate and scale unlike anything seen in human history - and Earth's frozen places are the front line. After all, what happens in Antarctica doesn’t stay in Antarctica. Beyond the Ice is also available as a LinkedIn Newsletter. Subscribe here: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/beyond-the-ice-7114973466654560256/  Beyond the Ice is edited and presented by Em Newton.

When news broke that Antarctica had gained ice mass between 2021 and 2023, it sparked debate across comment sections worldwide. How could the continent be gaining ice when we're constantly told it's melting? The reality reveals fascinating insights into how Antarctica's ice system responds to extreme weather. Climate scientist Dr Michelle Maclennan from British Antarctic Survey explains how scientists measure ice changes across this enormous continent. What does "mass balance" actually mean? What are atmospheric rivers, and what part do they play in extreme events? And does this recent ice gain signal hope for the future - or is it just a brief pause in Antarctica's contribution to rising seas? -- Beyond the Ice helps you unpack the latest news in climate science with the experts at British Antarctic Survey. Our planet is changing at a rate and scale unlike anything seen in human history - and Earth's frozen places are the front line. After all, what happens in Antarctica doesn’t stay in Antarctica. Beyond the Ice is also available as a LinkedIn Newsletter. Subscribe here: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/beyond-the-ice-7114973466654560256/  Beyond the Ice is edited and presented by Em Newton.

New research suggests there's been a shocking 22% drop in the Emperor penguin population in Antarctica over just 15 years - more than double previous estimates and outpacing even the most pessimistic projections. In this episode, we speak to Dr Peter Fretwell about his findings, and how he uses satellite technology to count Emperor penguin colonies in some of Earth's most remote and inaccessible locations. We explore why these majestic birds are uniquely vulnerable to climate change, with their breeding cycles entirely dependent on stable sea ice conditions that are rapidly disappearing. Why are emperor penguins disappearing faster than scientists predicted? What complex factors beyond melting ice are threatening their survival? Could they really be facing extinction by 2100? And how do researchers monitor wildlife populations that humans can barely reach? -- Beyond the Ice helps you unpack the latest news in climate science with the experts at British Antarctic Survey. Our planet is changing at a rate and scale unlike anything seen in human history - and Earth's frozen places are the front line. After all, what happens in Antarctica doesn’t stay in Antarctica. Beyond the Ice is also available as a LinkedIn Newsletter. Subscribe here: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/beyond-the-ice-7114973466654560256/  Beyond the Ice is edited and presented by Em Newton.

Forty years ago, British Antarctic Survey scientists made a world-changing discovery: a hole in Earth's protective ozone layer above Antarctica. In this episode, meteorologist Jonathan Shanklin recounts how his routine measurements at Halley Research Station revealed data points literally 'falling off the graph' - the first evidence linking chlorofluorocarbons to ozone depletion. Professor John Pyle explains how this evidence led to the Montreal Protocol, now ratified by every country worldwide and hailed as the most successful international environmental agreement ever. Atmospheric chemist Professor Lucy Carpenter brings us up to date: the ozone layer is recovering but faces challenges from climate change and extreme wildfires. What lessons can this remarkable story of scientific discovery, political action and environmental recovery teach us about tackling today's climate crisis? And how close are we to seeing the Antarctic ozone hole finally close? -- Beyond the Ice helps you unpack the latest news in climate science with the experts at British Antarctic Survey. Our planet is changing at a rate and scale unlike anything seen in human history - and Earth's frozen places are the front line. After all, what happens in Antarctica doesn’t stay in Antarctica. Beyond the Ice is also available as a LinkedIn Newsletter. Subscribe here: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/beyond-the-ice-7114973466654560256/  Beyond the Ice is edited and presented by Em Newton.