January 2025 | News from the Australian Antarctic Program

Plumber, Jono Newman, took this photo from RSV Nuyina on his way to Davis research station for the summer.

Australia's search for Antarctica's oldest ice

Drilling has begun in Australia’s quest for the oldest, continuous ice core record of Earth’s climate, dating back more than one million years. Australian Antarctic Program scientists are at ‘Dome C North’, which ice flow modelling and radar data shows may contain ice up to two million years old.

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Secrets of the ice

Around one million years ago, when Australia was home to giant megafauna, snow falling in Antarctica trapped atmospheric gases containing information about Earth's climate at the time. Now scientists are now drilling for this ancient archive. Learn more about the Million Year Ice Core project in our interactive feature.

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Little things make big ice shelves melt

Small-scale physical processes that occur at the boundary between the ice and ocean, determine the fate of massive ice shelves, including how fast they melt.

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Marine mystery in the Bunger Hills

Australian Antarctic scientists may soon be the first humans to set eyes on an Antarctic seafloor community, potentially isolated in the Bunger Hills for thousands of years.

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Biodiversity surveys at Mawson

Scientists are using drones, remotely operated vehicles and physical sampling, to complete the first comprehensive biodiversity surveys around Mawson station. The surveys will inform a risk assessment on human activity impacts and how best to protect ecosystems.

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Using DNA to identify seabird bycatch

Scientists are using DNA to identify seabird species caught during longline fishing operations in Australian waters, to improve the accuracy of bycatch reporting and monitoring and inform seabird conservation efforts.

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Monitoring for avian influenza

Seabird scientists are monitoring for signs of avian influenza in East Antarctica this summer using ground surveys, remotely operated cameras, drones and GPS tracking to look for physical symptoms and changes in behaviour and numbers.

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Check out our website for more of the latest news, and follow us on social media.

Enquiries: media@antarctica.gov.au

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present.
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