
Antarctic cold snap brings rare snow to New Zealand cities
An Antarctic cold snap brought freezing conditions, hail, and rare snowfall to New Zealand cities including Wellington and Dunedin, causing highway closures and record electricity demand.

An Antarctic cold snap brought freezing conditions, hail, and rare snowfall to New Zealand cities including Wellington and Dunedin, causing highway closures and record electricity demand.
The 2016 Ross Sea Region Marine Protected Area agreement, established by CCAMLR, created the largest marine reserve of its time around Antarctica. It was a landmark for ocean conservation, achieved after years of negotiation and compromise among 24 member states and the EU, despite geopolitical tensions and fishing interests.
A 60% drop in humpback whale sightings off Western Australia and rare seabird appearances on Australia's east coast signal potential disruptions in the Southern Ocean. These events coincide with persistent marine heatwaves and the confirmed presence of H5N1 bird flu, prompting scientists to call for urgent, coordinated monitoring.
Unusual drops in humpback whale sightings and rare seabird appearances off Australia coincide with persistent marine heatwaves in the Southern Ocean. Scientists are concerned these events signal broader changes in ocean conditions, potentially linked to climate change and disease risks like H5N1.

China's newest Antarctic research base, Qinling Station, opened in 2024, already sources over 60% of its energy from wind, solar, and hydrogen power, moving away from traditional diesel. China aims for 100% renewable energy at all its Antarctic stations by 2035.
A nearly 14 km long iceberg grounded near Coulman Island, Antarctica, blocked emperor penguins' foraging routes, causing a 69% decline in chick numbers during the 2025 breeding season. This highlights how local physical barriers disrupt access to essential resources for wildlife.
Antarctica's Concordia Station recorded a temperature of minus 119.4°F (minus 84.1°C) on July 18, marking its coldest reading in 16 years and the lowest officially reported anywhere globally since 2012. Scientists attribute this extreme cold to a combination of polar winter, high elevation, and exceptionally stable weather patterns.
Scientists have detected nanoplastics in Antarctic soil for the first time, specifically in the McMurdo Dry Valleys. The study, published in Scientific Reports, identified fragments from tyre wear and common plastics, suggesting both local human activity and long-range atmospheric transport as sources. This discovery highlights the pervasive nature of plastic pollution, reaching even remote, pristine environments.

Um estudo na Journal of Animal Ecology revelou que três espécies de pinguins na Península Antártica, incluindo os pinguins-gentoo, estão antecipando sua reprodução em até 13 dias por década, uma das respostas fenológicas mais rápidas já registradas em animais às mudanças climáticas e ao aquecimento regional.
A new study suggests Antarctica's ice sheets formed millions of years before the Arctic's due to geological uplift. Gondwana's breakup caused mantle waves that raised East Antarctica, creating high-elevation terrain favorable for ice formation, even before significant global cooling.

O centenário Clube Palestra Itália em Ribeirão Preto, SP, foi vendido por R$ 6,75 milhões a construtoras que prometem revitalizar o espaço, que enfrentava dívidas e esvaziamento. O imóvel, que já foi tombado, passará por reforma sem proteção histórica oficial, mas com expectativa de preservação arquitetônica.
New research suggests Antarctica's sea ice loss, linked to cloud cover and ocean heat absorption, could accelerate global warming faster than previously thought. Recent record-low sea ice extents and higher regional temperatures signal a major climate shift, with potential for amplified warming and more severe climate impacts globally.
New research suggests Antarctica's sea ice and cloud cover have a stronger link to global warming than previously believed. The study by the European Geosciences Union (EGU) indicates potential underestimation of ocean heat absorption and climate sensitivity in current models, raising concerns about faster and more severe future warming.
Scientists have identified a massive, fan-shaped geological structure, the East Antarctic Fan-Shaped Basin Province (EAFBP), hidden beneath over three kilometers of ice in East Antarctica. This discovery reshapes understanding of Gondwana's breakup and Antarctica's ice sheet behavior.
Scientists found that soil studied by India's Chandrayaan-3 rover closely matches the chemical makeup of ALHA 81005, the first meteorite confirmed to be from the Moon. The finding links measurements from the "Shiv Shakti Statio" to the meteorite found in Antarctica, suggesting both represent the same broad category of magnesium-rich lunar crust material.

Wildlife officials in Tasmania are urging the public to keep their distance from Neil, a southern elephant seal, who has returned to the island. Concerns are high that people, including those with babies, are getting too close for photos, posing a risk to both the public and the animal, which can grow to 3,500kg.

A titanosaur tail bone, discovered in Antarctica in 1985, has been identified as a dinosaur fossil decades later. The species remains unknown, but the dinosaur was approximately 23 feet long and lived when Antarctica was covered in forests.
Um fóssil de vértebra de titanossauro, descoberto há 70 milhões de anos na Antártida, foi identificado como o primeiro fragmento de dinossauro encontrado no continente. A peça, encontrada na ilha James Ross, oferece insights sobre a vida desses gigantes herbívoros no Cretáceo Superior.

H5N1 bird flu, which has devastated global wildlife, has reached Australia, posing a significant threat to the country's unique and endemic species, with over 150 bird species and 10 mammals at high risk of extinction or major population declines.

The H5N1 strain of avian influenza has been confirmed in Western Australia after two seabirds, a brown skua and a giant petrel, tested positive. Both birds have died, marking the first time the virus has reached Australia, raising concerns for wildlife and industry.

Ribeirão Preto completa 170 anos com um rico patrimônio histórico. O g1 preparou um roteiro com 12 locais que contam a história da cidade, desde a época dos barões do café até a chegada dos imigrantes.

Researchers are testing a geoengineering method in Cambridge Bay, Canada, to refreeze Arctic sea ice. The Real Ice project pumps ocean water onto the ice surface, thickening it and reflecting more sunlight. While controversial, it's a research effort to explore potential solutions to climate change.

The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL), a digital archive of natural world literature, has made over 64 million pages freely available. Despite its crucial role in scientific research and understanding biodiversity crises, BHL faces funding cuts and may cease operations by 2027.

Over 13,000 seal pups have died on Australia's Heard Island due to H5N1 bird flu, with high mortality rates confirmed among penguins, seals, and petrels. The virus likely spread from French subantarctic islands, marking its eastward movement around the region. Australia is increasing preparedness for potential mainland incursions.