Podcast · Tech & Science

Beyond the Ice

by British Antarctic Survey · English · Tech & Science

Unpack the latest news in climate science with the experts at British Antarctic Survey. Our planet is changing at a rate and scale unlike anything seen in human history - and Earth's frozen places are the front line. After all, what happens in Antarctica doesn’t stay in Antarctica. Beyond the Ice

New episodes: Now and then
Typical length: 26 min
Latest: 6 Aug 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

6 Aug 2026 · 31 min

14: Why is everyone talking about space weather?

With the heatwaves we've seen in 2026 so far, the impacts of weather are at the forefront of many people's minds. But in today's episode, we're exploring a very different kind of weather - one that originates 150 million km away on the surface of the sun. The space surrounding our planet can be just as turbulent as Earth's atmosphere, with powerful solar winds and violent storms that send bursts of energy racing through our solar system. This ‘space weather’ can have very real consequences, creating spectacular auroras, interfering with satellite communications, disrupting power grids, and…

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Earlier episodes 13 most recent

E13 · 26 Feb 2026 · 37 min
13: Polar science is a secret strength in international relations | with Oliver Darke
Geopolitics grows more unstable, and interest in Earth’s polar regions is growing. The collaborative spirit and achievements of polar science are growing all the more important. In this edition of Beyond the Ice, Oliver Darke , Director of Operations, Engineering and Infrastructure at British Antarctic Survey, talks about what international collaboration in Antarctica looks like on the ground - and how this fits into today’s diplomatic global context. In Antarctica, the continent has been governed internationally and cooperatively through the Antarctic Treaty since 1959 – an agreement which…
E12 · 2 Jan 2026 · 29 min
12: Can art help communicate climate science? | Dr Jo Johnson & Rowan Huntley
Artist Rowan Huntley and British Antarctic Survey Geochemist Dr Joanne Johnson have been working together to translate polar science into art. Their exhibition at the The Polar Museum in Cambridge is Rowan’s creative response to Jo's research into glaciers, ice sheets, and the geology of Antarctica. This collaboration comes at a critical moment. The climate crisis is no longer a distant threat, yet scientific data can be overwhelming, and abstract numbers can leave people feeling disconnected rather than motivated to act. Art offers another way in, transforming the science into something…
E11 · 25 Sep 2025 · 23 min
11: Why is everyone talking about geoengineering? | Professor Dame Jane Francis
Geoengineering is the hot topic in climate science debate - drawing increasingly emotive and divisive responses, as investment in blue-sky engineering proposals grows and progress on decarbonisation stutters. Geoengineering is the deliberate, large scale intervention in Earth's environment and natural systems. As the impacts of climate change start to be felt, preliminary ideas like putting a huge underwater curtain around the unstable Thwaites Glacier are getting more and more media time. Are these necessary tools for climate adaption, or dangerous distractions? Professor Dame Jane Francis,…
E10 · 30 Jul 2025 · 24 min
10: How do we actually *know* Antarctica is melting? | Dr Michelle Maclennan
When news broke that Antarctica had gained ice mass between 2021 and 2023, it sparked debate across comment sections worldwide. How could the continent be gaining ice when we're constantly told it's melting? The reality reveals fascinating insights into how Antarctica's ice system responds to extreme weather. Climate scientist Dr Michelle Maclennan from British Antarctic Survey explains how scientists measure ice changes across this enormous continent. What does "mass balance" actually mean? What are atmospheric rivers, and what part do they play in extreme events? And does this recent ice…
E9 · 12 Jun 2025 · 21 min
9: Are Emperor penguins heading for extinction? | Dr Peter Fretwell
New research suggests there's been a shocking 22% drop in the Emperor penguin population in Antarctica over just 15 years - more than double previous estimates and outpacing even the most pessimistic projections. In this episode, we speak to Dr Peter Fretwell about his findings, and how he uses satellite technology to count Emperor penguin colonies in some of Earth's most remote and inaccessible locations. We explore why these majestic birds are uniquely vulnerable to climate change, with their breeding cycles entirely dependent on stable sea ice conditions that are rapidly disappearing. Why…
E8 · 14 May 2025 · 25 min
8: Discovering a hole in the ozone layer | Jonathan Shanklin, Prof John Pyle & Prof Lucy Carpenter
Forty years ago, British Antarctic Survey scientists made a world-changing discovery: a hole in Earth's protective ozone layer above Antarctica. In this episode, meteorologist Jonathan Shanklin recounts how his routine measurements at Halley Research Station revealed data points literally 'falling off the graph' - the first evidence linking chlorofluorocarbons to ozone depletion. Professor John Pyle explains how this evidence led to the Montreal Protocol, now ratified by every country worldwide and hailed as the most successful international environmental agreement ever. Atmospheric chemist…
E7 · 27 Feb 2025 · 26 min
7: The least sea ice, ever? Lows in the Arctic | Dr Caroline Holmes
In February 2025, there was less sea ice on Earth than ever recorded. It's the coldest time of year in the Arctic, and the freeze up of Arctic ice is nearing its maximum - but that maximum is looking small, significantly below the record lows for winter we saw in 2017. Polar climate scientist Dr Caroline Holmes explains what's influencing these lows in Arctic sea ice, and how it fits into the global climate. Will the Arctic be 'ice free in summer by 2100'? How do climate scientists actually come up with these headlines? What's going on inside those predictive 'climate models' we always hear…
E6 · 16 Jan 2025 · 25 min
6: How are the LA wildfires linked to climate change? | Dr Ella Gilbert & Dr Thomas Bauska
Wildfires are devastating the city of Los Angeles, fuelled by a perfect storm of dry conditions and intense mountain winds. In this episode of Beyond the Ice , we break down the weather and climate factors behind this ongoing disaster. Climate scientist Dr Ella Gilbert and ice core expert Dr Thomas Bauska explain how our changing climate is making such disasters more frequent and intense, and discuss what needs to be done to adapt to this new reality. We also take a step back to look at what new research into ice cores has recently revealed about major wildfires in Earth’s ancient past. How…
E5 · 2 Dec 2024 · 39 min
5: Why does melting Arctic ice matter? | Dr Kelly Hogan & Professor Kate Hendry
The Arctic is warming four times faster than the rest of the planet. So far, so bad - and scientists are seeing changes there now. Fresh off scientific fieldwork in the Arctic this summer, marine geophysicist Dr Kelly Hogan and marine biogeochemist Professor Kate Hendry reflect on what they saw and studied in this spectacular and important environment. Through the lens of their science projects - KANG-GLAC and SiCLING - they explain what the consequences of a melting Arctic could be, how these frozen environments are connected to the 'normal' climate we enjoy today, and how understanding the…
E4 · 24 Sep 2024 · 37 min
4: How to study the world's most unstable glacier | Meghan Sharp, Professor Sridhar Anandakrishnan & Dr Pete Davis
This is your glaciology briefing! The race is on to understand the Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica, the world's widest glacier which is retreating and changing rapidly. As warming changes this icy place, communities and governments around the world need the best possible answer to the sea level rise question: how much and how fast? Glaciologists Meghan Sharp and Professor Sridhar Anandakrishnan, and oceanographer Dr Pete Davis talk about their epic field work to study Thwaites Glacier, and explain the key mechanics that are shaping its future. This podcast was recorded in the middle of…
E3 · 19 Aug 2024 · 35 min
3: When scientists talk about the climate | Prof Jane Francis, Dr Emma Boland & Dr Ella Gilbert
Story or statistics? Urgency or alarmism? Top line or deep dive? Three climate scientists talk about the state of climate science in the media, and what they've learned about communicating about climate change to the general public. Tom Sheldon from the Science Media Centre speaks to BAS' Professor Dame Jane Francis, Dr Emma Boland and Dr Ella Gilbert, in a discussion that spans from the nitty gritty of what language they use, to describing their dream documentary series. We all want science experts to lead conversations about our climate in the media - but gathering the courage and…
E2 · 9 Jul 2024 · 20 min
2: When extreme weather goes to extreme places | Dr Louise Sime and Dr Tom Bracegirdle
It's summer 2022, and an area of East Antarctica is over 38.5°C warmer than it should be. The mercury has risen to a chilly -10°C... but it should be -50°C. It's the most extreme temperature event ever recorded, and we now know this was caused by global warming. The increase in extreme weather events is the erratic, sharp end of climate change. But what happens when extreme weather hits the continent of extremes - Antarctica? Climate scientists Dr Louise Sime and Dr Tom Bracegirdle from British Antarctic Survey are here with your briefing why global warming is causing extreme weather. How do…
E1 · 11 Apr 2024 · 15 min
1: The mystery of the missing Antarctic sea ice | Dr Ella Gilbert
2023 set new, dramatic temperature records - and Earth’s frozen places are feeling the heat. Picture the problem: it’s August 2023, the depths of Antarctic Winter, and there’s an area of missing Antarctic sea ice bigger than Greenland. Just 8 years ago, the area of Antarctic sea ice was actually growing each year. Then something changed. Climate scientist Dr Ella Gilbert from British Antarctic Survey is here with your briefing on what we know about the record-breaking sea ice lows and their connection to climate change. How does sea ice moderate global temperatures? And what does this mean…

About Beyond the Ice

Beyond the Ice is a English tech & science podcast from British Antarctic Survey. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: British Antarctic Survey
Language: English
Category: Tech & Science
New episodes: Now and then
Typical length: 26 min
Latest episode: 6 Aug 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1722646011
Rights: British Antarctic Survey

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