Polar News and Notes Antarctica

After working on the next generation of robots for NASA’s exploration of Mars, Ayanna Howard wondered if a similar rover could be used to collect multiple science measurements on this planet, especially in the polar regions.
 In June, three SnoMotes, designed by Howard and a team of engineers and scientists, were on the ice of Mendenhall […]

News from the polar regions in July includes efforts to better model and predict ice sheet dynamics and climate change, volcanic activity in the Arctic, and trouble for penguins and the marine species of the Southern Ocean. Missed these stories the first time? Read on!
As part of an international scientific contest, some of the world’s […]

When is a rock not just a rock? When it can tell stories of the Earth’s amazing past.
The discovery of a single granite boulder near Nimrod Glacier in the Transantarctic Mountains may provide additional support for a theory that East Antarctica was once connected to the west coast of North America.
While sampling rocks to learn […]

We’re all aware that high gasoline prices have caused people to cut back on planned trips and redo household budgets. Research communities, especially those involved in Arctic and Antarctic expeditions, have to do the same thing. Such expeditions need fuel for airplanes, helicopters, and ships to reach sites in the polar regions. They depend on […]

In a recent study, some emperor penguins wore digital electrocardiogram recorders when they dove deep into the waters of McMurdo Sound in Antarctica. Using these devices for the first time on penguins, researchers were able to record heart rate data beat by beat.
Among some surprises: in one lengthy dive, the penguin’s heart beat only six […]