Lake Vostok and the Search for Life

Lake Vostok

Deep beneath Antarctica’s thick ice sheet, hidden from sunlight for millions of years, lies Lake Vostok – one of the most mysterious and scientifically intriguing places on Earth. This sub-glacial lake, buried under more than two miles of ice, could hold vital clues about life’s ability to exist in extreme environments, including the possibility of extraterrestrial organisms on icy moons […]

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The sun takes a rare hiatus

Sunspot activity may be entering a lull for the first time in almost 400 years, offering scientists a rare chance to gauge how solar conditions affect Earth’s climate. “This is highly unusual and unexpected” says Frank Hill, a researcher at the National Solar Observatory. Three new NSO studies suggest that the sun’s fluctuating magnetic field may soon become too weak […]

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Antarctica team uncovers century-old artefacts from Douglas Mawson hut

An expedition team in Antarctica has successfully cleared away layers of thick ice from inside the hut of the famous Australian explorer Sir Douglas Mawson, revealing a century-old frozen bowl of peas, books on the shelves, candles, matches and “old-style woolen underwear”. The team used picks and chainsaws to remove the ice that had filled the main living quarters used […]

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A warmer world will be a hazier one

Aerosols, tiny solid and liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere, impact the environment by affecting air quality and alter the Earth’s radiative balance by either scattering or absorbing sunlight to varying degrees. What impact does climate change, induced by greenhouse gases (GHGs), have on the aerosol “burden”–the total mass of aerosols in a vertical column of air? Past research done […]

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Antarctica’s Ancient Fossils: A Glimpse into the Past

Antarctica's Ancient Fossils

Antarctica’s Ancient Fossils Deep beneath the ice and snow of Antarctica, a hidden world of prehistoric creatures is being uncovered, offering scientists a glimpse into an era when the now-frozen continent was teeming with life. Recent fossil discoveries suggest that Antarctica was once a lush, temperate land home to dinosaurs, enormous amphibians, and unique plant life. Fossils Tell a Different […]

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