Antarctica Archives - The Debrief

Deep Beneath Antarctica’s Frozen Lake Enigma, Something Has Been Hiding Under 14 Meters of Ice—Until Now

Micah Hanks·January 3, 2025

Scientists report the discovery of a thriving ecosystem of living organisms in one of Earth’s most extreme environments: beneath 14 meters of ice covering a frozen lake in Antarctica.

Scientists Aiming to Build Massive Underwater Structure to Protect Antarctica Could Face Territorial Challenges

Ryan Whalen·November 21, 2024

The construction of a massive underwater structure to protect Antarctica’s melting ice sheets could be met with unexpected international challenges, new research reveals.

First-Ever Discovery of Amber in Antarctica Reveals Continent Had Trees 90 Million Years Ago.

Christopher Plain·November 18, 2024

Scientists have discovered the first-ever sample of fossilized tree resin, known as amber, on Earth's southernmost continent of Antarctica.

Something Odd is Happening to the World’s Largest Iceberg, and It’s Making Experts Dizzy

Micah Hanks·August 14, 2024

The world’s largest iceberg has been engaged in unusual behavior in recent months that has left some glaciologists dizzy.

Mysterious Gigantic Features Discovered Beneath Antarctica’s Dotson Ice Shelf by Underwater Robotic Survey

Micah Hanks·August 1, 2024

New imagery from beneath Antarctica's Dotson Ice Shelf has revealed the existence of previously unknown features.

Beneath Antarctica’s Ice Sheets, Scientists Have Just Made a Wet and Worrying Discovery

Micah Hanks·June 26, 2024

Researchers in Antarctica report a concerning new discovery involving ice melting on Earth’s southernmost continent.

Thousands of Meteorites Are Vanishing in Antarctica. Now Scientists have Revealed Why.

Christopher Plain·April 10, 2024

A new study says that as many as 12,200 extraterrestrial meteorites sitting on the surface of Antarctica are disappearing every year.

Speed Record Breaking 80 mph Glacier Fracture in Antarctica is Fastest Ever Observed

Micah Hanks·March 4, 2024

The fastest known large-scale ice shelf breakage in Antarctica has been observed by researchers, according to new findings.

In Antarctica, These Mysterious Formations of Ice Are Vanishing. Half a Century of Satellite Images May Help Explain Why.

Micah Hanks·March 1, 2024

These odd looking humps in Antarctica are vanishing, and scientists are using half a century of satellite imagery to try and explain why.

In Antarctica, Dark Matter Mystery Comes into Focus as South Pole Telescope Extends Our View of the Cosmos

Micah Hanks·February 19, 2024

An upgraded camera system on Antarctica's South Pole Telescope could offer astronomers clues to a longstanding cosmic mystery.

NASA to Launch Stadium-Sized Craft Over Antarctica in New Mission to Explore Cosmic Phenomena

Micah Hanks·November 28, 2023

A long-duration aerial mission soon to be carried out by NASA over Antarctica will launch stadium-sized craft in support of a series of record-breaking science missions, the agency announced this week.

Unexpected Discovery Hidden Underneath Antarctic Ice Shelf for Millennia Found by Space Robot

Christopher Plain·October 30, 2023

Researchers studying beneath the Antarctic Ice Shelf say they have discovered stunning patterns and features no one has seen before.

Hidden Beneath Antarctic Ice for Eons, Scientists Have Made a Chilling Ancient Discovery

Micah Hanks·October 25, 2023

A team of researchers says they have discovered a massive ancient landscape beneath Antarctic ice, where it has remained preserved for millions of years.

Extrasolar Space Dust Could Contain Signs of Alien Life, New Paper Suggests

Christopher Plain·March 28, 2023

A new paper from the University of Tokyo suggests that astrobiologists could find signs of alien life in particles of space dust that have been ejected from exoplanets and traveled across the vastness of space to reach earth.

Researchers Were Stunned by What They Recently Found Deep Under Antarctica

Christopher Plain·June 22, 2022

Researchers in Antarctica were shocked to find a thriving community of crab-like creatures living under the ice.

Extreme Life Under Antarctic Ice Shelf Shocks Researchers

Christopher Plain·December 22, 2021

An unexpected oasis of extreme marine life has been discovered living and flourishing under the Antarctic Ice Shelf....

NASA’s DART Program and the Future of Planetary Defense

Micah Hanks·November 3, 2021

This week, news of a surprise visit from an asteroid in late October has NASA talking about the prospects of its DART program.

Blood Falls: How a Macabre Glacier May Help the Search for Extraterrestrial Life

Ryan Sprague·May 3, 2021

Flowing from Antarctica's Tony Glacier into nearby Lake Bonney is Blood Falls, a bizarre waterfall which spews crimson liquid.

Rare Mineral Commonly Found On Mars Turns Up in Antarctic Ice

Ryan Sprague·February 16, 2021

After boring more than a mile into Antarctic ice, scientists have discovered a mineral rare on Earth that is commonly found on Mars.

Antarctica