Beyond the Ice

With the heatwaves we've seen in 2026 so far, the impacts of weather are at the forefront of many people's minds. But in today's episode, we're exploring a very different kind of weather - one that originates 150 million km away on the surface of the sun. 
The space surrounding our planet can be just as turbulent as Earth's atmosphere, with powerful solar winds and violent storms that send bursts of energy racing through our solar system. This ‘space weather’ can have very real consequences, creating spectacular auroras, interfering with satellite communications, disrupting power grids, and affecting the technology that modern society depends upon.
In this edition of Beyond the Ice, we meet Professor Richard Horne, a distinguished research scientist in the Space Weather and Atmosphere team at the British Antarctic Survey. He talks about why understanding space weather is becoming a priority in both science and industry, and why our poles, especially Antarctica, are some of the best places on Earth to study it.
This was our final episode of Beyond the Ice, but a new podcast from British Antarctic Survey is coming in the autumn. A huge thank you to all of our listeners and subscribers!
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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. Read previous editions here: linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7114973466654560256
This episode of Beyond the Ice was presented by Em Newton and edited by Boffin Media.

Geopolitics grows more unstable, and interest in Earth’s polar regions is growing. The collaborative spirit and achievements of polar science are growing all the more important.
In this edition of Beyond the Ice, Oliver Darke, Director of Operations, Engineering and Infrastructure at British Antarctic Survey, talks about what international collaboration in Antarctica looks like on the ground - and how this fits into today’s diplomatic global context. 
In Antarctica, the continent has been governed internationally and cooperatively through the Antarctic Treaty since 1959 – an agreement which suspends territorial claims and preserves Antarctica for peace and science. How does this unique context create opportunity for international partnerships?
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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.

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. 
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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.