News

The not-so-pretty preparation for climate change We weren’t sure what to believe when we first heard it, but it appears to be true – penguin poop is helping to change Antarctica’s ecosystem. Yes, according to this fascinating National Geographic story, the local gentoo penguins have delivered millions of pounds of “nutrient rich guano”…

With new penguins arriving at the Centre we know just how important it is to get a name right. Which is why we appreciate the ‘journey’ the continent took before finally settling on a name in the late 19th century. To put it simply, Antarctica used to be called Australia. Then, in 1824, today’s Australia took…

Our new Education Manager has arrived and we’re thrilled to have her on board leading the class. We put a short list of questions in front of Miranda, expecting a few words or so in response. The depth of her answers speaks to the expertise and passion she is bringing to the role.   Why…

Last month we brought you five interesting world records set in Antarctica.  Since then we’ve been reminded of another… Eleven babies have been born in Antarctica, and none of them died as infants. Antarctica therefore has the lowest infant mortality rate of any continent: 0%. What’s crazier is why the babies were born there in the…

At the end of 2018 two men made an incredible journey into the record books, each individually following the path that original explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton had planned on his journey to the south pole and across the continent. In this day and age you could be forgiven for thinking most travel-related ‘firsts’ have been…

In the wild the average lifespan for the Little Blue Penguin is 6.5 years. In truly exceptional cases these penguins have been recorded as living up to 25 years of age in captivity. That’s why we were so excited to celebrate Tubby’s 21st birthday on the 20th of January. It was a fantastic day…

The Antarctic Heritage Trust has recently returned a reconstructed beer barrel to Shackleton’s hut at Cape Royds. The barrel was donated in 1907 by the Speights brewery to Shackleton, making the journey south before being consumed, in all likelihood on the trip down. From there the barrel was probably repurposed and used outside the…

As advocates for Antarctica our ears always prick up when news arrives of what’s happening in this important environment. A study published on January 14 this year highlights that ice is melting more than six times faster than it did in the 1980s. Using aerial photographs, satellite measurements and computer models scientists have tracked 176…

Many people may know that Antarctica is the coldest, driest and windiest place on the planet. However there are some other interesting records it also holds.   1) Enter Sand Iceman Metallica made it into the 2015 Guiness World Records when they became the first musical act to perform a concert on every continent. The…

The regular footage showing penguins seemingly flying out of the water and onto nearby ice floes is always exciting to watch, particularly if they’re doing so with a hungry seal or orca close behind. But just how do they get the speed to do so? Because of their widdly-waddly body shape penguins can’t exactly grapple…

He was many things: esteemed pilot, Medal Of Honor winner, Arctic pioneer, logistical expert. However Byrd’s legacy is most known for efforts exploring the Antarctic. After a career in the United States Navy and service in the First World War, Richard Evelyn Byrd Jr would fly into history as a groundbreaking aviator, explorer and director…

Throughout history horses, huskies, tractors and snowmobiles have all been put to use going from A to B in Antarctica. But when you want to move cargo in the most demanding of conditions the most reliable way is in these Swedish-made over-snow vehicles. Driving out from base in the Antarctic is always carefully managed. In…