https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/earth_climate/ozone_holes/ Ozone Depletion Research. Learn what caused the holes in the ozone layer and how the ozone layer is recovering since the banning of CFCs. Read how certain clouds affect ozone depletion and more. en-us Sun, 08 Mar 2026 01:36:51 EST Sun, 08 Mar 2026 01:36:51 EST 60 https://www.sciencedaily.com/images/scidaily-logo-rss.png https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/earth_climate/ozone_holes/ For more science news, visit ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260206020847.htm A new study reveals that chemicals used to replace ozone-damaging CFCs are now driving a surge in a persistent “forever chemical” worldwide. The pollutant, called trifluoroacetic acid, is falling out of the atmosphere into water, land, and ice, including in remote regions like the Arctic. Even as older chemicals are phased out, their long lifetimes mean pollution is still rising. Fri, 06 Feb 2026 03:17:32 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260206020847.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260204042457.htm Melting ice from West Antarctica once delivered huge amounts of iron to the Southern Ocean, but algae growth did not increase as expected. Researchers found the iron was in a form that marine life could not easily use. This means more melting ice does not automatically boost carbon absorption. In the future, Antarctic ice loss could actually reduce the ocean’s ability to slow climate change. Wed, 04 Feb 2026 04:32:51 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260204042457.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251204024231.htm This year’s ozone hole over Antarctica ranked among the smallest since the early 1990s, reflecting steady progress from decades of global action under the Montreal Protocol. Declining chlorine levels and warmer stratospheric temperatures helped limit ozone destruction. Scientists say the layer remains on track to recover later this century. Thu, 04 Dec 2025 09:16:45 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251204024231.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251202052209.htm As the last Ice Age waned and the Holocene dawned, deep-ocean circulation around Antarctica underwent dramatic shifts that helped release long-stored carbon back into the atmosphere. Deep-sea sediments show that ancient Antarctic waters once trapped vast amounts of carbon, only to release it during two major warming pulses at the end of the Ice Age. Understanding these shifts helps scientists predict how modern Antarctic melt may accelerate future climate change. Tue, 02 Dec 2025 05:22:09 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251202052209.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251109032406.htm Around 9,000 years ago, East Antarctica went through a dramatic meltdown that was anything but isolated. Scientists have discovered that warm deep ocean water surged beneath the region’s floating ice shelves, causing them to collapse and unleashing a domino effect of ice loss across the continent. This process created a “cascading positive feedback,” where melting in one area sped up melting elsewhere through interconnected ocean currents. Sun, 09 Nov 2025 03:56:56 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251109032406.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251106003941.htm Researchers warn Antarctica is undergoing abrupt changes that could trigger global consequences. Melting ice, collapsing ice shelves, and disrupted ocean circulation threaten sea levels, ecosystems, and climate stability. Wildlife such as penguins and krill face growing extinction risks. Scientists stress that only rapid emission reductions can avert irreversible damage. Thu, 06 Nov 2025 11:23:51 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251106003941.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250902085134.htm The booming space industry has filled the skies with rockets and satellites, but this rapid expansion comes with a hidden danger: slowing the recovery of the ozone layer. Rocket launches and burning space debris release chlorine, soot, and metals high in the atmosphere, where they linger for years, damaging Earth’s protective shield against UV radiation. Scientists warn that if annual launches surge to projected levels by 2030, ozone recovery—already not expected until mid-century—could be delayed for decades. Mon, 15 Sep 2025 22:08:53 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250902085134.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250821094527.htm As the ozone layer recovers, it’s also intensifying global warming. Researchers predict that by 2050, ozone will rank just behind carbon dioxide as a driver of heating, offsetting many of the benefits from banning CFCs. Fri, 22 Aug 2025 04:00:39 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250821094527.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250809100910.htm Deep beneath the Antarctic seas lies a hidden network of 332 colossal submarine canyons, some plunging over 4,000 meters, revealed in unprecedented detail by new high-resolution mapping. These underwater valleys, shaped by glacial forces and powerful sediment flows, play a vital role in transporting nutrients, driving ocean currents, and influencing global climate. Striking differences between East and West Antarctica’s canyon systems offer clues to the continent’s ancient ice history, while also exposing vulnerabilities as warm waters carve away at protective ice shelves. Sat, 09 Aug 2025 10:46:57 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250809100910.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250721223835.htm Ancient river landscapes buried beneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet have been uncovered by radar, revealing vast, flat surfaces formed over 80 million years ago before Antarctica froze. These hidden features, stretching across 3,500 kilometers, are now acting as natural brakes on glacier flow, potentially moderating current ice loss. Their discovery adds a new piece to the puzzle of Earth's climate history and could help scientists better forecast how this enormous ice sheet will behave as the planet warms. Tue, 22 Jul 2025 02:37:42 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250721223835.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250617014222.htm In a surprising twist during an air quality study in Oklahoma, researchers detected MCCPs an industrial pollutant never before measured in the Western Hemisphere's atmosphere. The team suspects these toxic compounds are entering the air through biosolid fertilizers derived from sewage sludge. While these pollutants are not yet regulated like their SCCP cousins, their similarity to dangerous "forever chemicals" and unexpected presence raise red flags about how chemical substitutions and waste disposal may be silently contaminating rural air. Tue, 17 Jun 2025 01:42:22 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250617014222.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250522162533.htm Engineers developed a membrane that filters the components of crude oil by their molecular size, an advance that could dramatically reduce the amount of energy needed for crude oil fractionation. Thu, 22 May 2025 16:25:33 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250522162533.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250312124316.htm Experiencing five or more severe sunburns between the ages of 15 and 20 increases the risk of melanoma by 80% and nonmelanoma skin cancer by 68%. This study is among the few to examine the relationship between perceived cancer risk, concern about being diagnosed, confidence in health, sunburn history, and the prevalence of sun protection behaviors, all in relation to sociodemographic factors in U.S. adults. Findings reveal statistically significant associations between the number of sunburns and sociodemographic factors. Wed, 12 Mar 2025 12:43:16 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250312124316.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250305134800.htm A new study confirms the Antarctic ozone layer is healing as a direct result of global efforts to reduce ozone-depleting substances. Wed, 05 Mar 2025 13:48:00 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250305134800.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250226213201.htm The latest chemicals used in refrigerants and aerosols can break down into pollutants, scientists say. Wed, 26 Feb 2025 21:32:01 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250226213201.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250219111310.htm Researchers present a global assessment of ice loss since the beginning of the millennium. In a global comparison, the glaciers in the Alps and Pyrenees are melting the fastest. Wed, 19 Feb 2025 11:13:10 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250219111310.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250203142505.htm Tiny copper 'nano-flowers' have been attached to an artificial leaf to produce clean fuels and chemicals that are the backbone of modern energy and manufacturing. Mon, 03 Feb 2025 14:25:05 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250203142505.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250128123845.htm Researchers unveil a new map and classification system that will help protect the unique plants and animals of Earth's most remote and fragile continent. Tue, 28 Jan 2025 12:38:45 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250128123845.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250107161833.htm If you like the smell of spring roses, the sounds of summer birdsong, and the colors of fall foliage, you have the stabilization of the ozone layer to thank for it. Located in the stratosphere, where it shields the Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation, the ozone layer plays a key role in preserving the planet's biodiversity. And now we may have a better idea of why that took so long -- more than 2 billion years -- to happen. According to a new study, Earth's early atmosphere hosted a 'battle royale' between iodine and oxygen -- effectively delaying the creation of a stable ozone layer that would shield complex life from much of the sun's ultraviolet radiation (UVR). The new theory may solve a mystery that has puzzled scientists for hundreds of years. Tue, 07 Jan 2025 16:18:33 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250107161833.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241210115107.htm Geoscientists have created a new climate record for early Antarctic ice ages. It reveals that the early Antarctic ice sheet melted more rapidly than previously thought. Tue, 10 Dec 2024 11:51:07 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241210115107.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241118130217.htm The scientific debate around the installation of a massive underwater curtain to protect Antarctic ice sheets from melting lacks its vital political perspective. A research team argues that the serious questions around authority, sovereignty and security should be addressed proactively by the scientific community to avoid the protected seventh continent becoming the scene or object of international discord. Mon, 18 Nov 2024 13:02:17 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241118130217.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241115124726.htm Hunted nearly to extinction during 20th century whaling, the Antarctic blue whale, the world's largest animal, went from a population size of roughly 200,000 to little more than 300. The most recent estimate in 2004 put Antarctic blue whales at less than 1% of their pre-whaling levels. A new study shows that, though these whales feed in different ocean basins, they appear to be a single population, information that will help conservation efforts moving forward. Fri, 15 Nov 2024 12:47:26 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241115124726.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241007115554.htm Vegetation cover across the Antarctic Peninsula has increased more than tenfold over the last four decades, new research shows. Mon, 07 Oct 2024 11:55:54 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241007115554.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/09/240913105319.htm Extremely clean air on the ground, warm air intrusions and sulphate aerosol at high altitudes -- a research project has gained new insights into clouds in Antarctica. Fri, 13 Sep 2024 10:53:19 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/09/240913105319.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/08/240830164202.htm A new species of Antarctic dragonfish, Akarotaxis gouldae or Banded Dragonfish, has been discovered in waters off the western Antarctic Peninsula. The species, named in honor of the recently decommissioned Antarctic research and supply vessel (ARSV) Laurence M. Gould and its crew, exemplifies both the unknown biodiversity and fragile state of the Antarctic ecosystem. Fri, 30 Aug 2024 16:42:02 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/08/240830164202.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/08/240821221834.htm A new study reveals how ocean biology and marine pollution can end up on Antarctica's shoreline. Wed, 21 Aug 2024 22:18:34 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/08/240821221834.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/08/240802132853.htm Scientists confirmed that much of ozone's increase in the upper troposphere is likely due to humans. A team detected a clear signal of human influence on upper tropospheric ozone trends in a 17-year satellite record starting in 2005. Fri, 02 Aug 2024 13:28:53 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/08/240802132853.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240712222129.htm In a revelation highlighting the fragile balance of our planet's atmosphere, scientists have uncovered an unexpected link between massive wildfire events and the chemistry of the ozone layer. Using satellite data and numerical modeling, the team discovered that an enormous smoke-charged vortex nearly doubles the southern hemispheric aerosol burden in the middle stratosphere of the Earth and reorders ozone depletion at different heights. This study reveals how wildfires, such as the catastrophic 2019/20 Australian bushfires, impact the stratosphere in previously unseen ways. Fri, 12 Jul 2024 22:21:29 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240712222129.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240704201554.htm In recent years global warming has left its mark on the Antarctic ice sheets. The 'eternal' ice in Antarctica is melting faster than previously assumed, particularly in West Antarctica more than East Antarctica. The root for this could lie in its formation, as an international research team has now discovered: sediment samples from drill cores combined with complex climate and ice-sheet modelling show that permanent glaciation of Antarctica began around 34 million years ago -- but did not encompass the entire continent as previously assumed, but rather was confined to the eastern region of the continent (East Antarctica). Thu, 04 Jul 2024 20:15:54 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240704201554.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240611130306.htm A new study has revealed significant progress in the drive to reduce levels in the atmosphere of chemicals that destroy Earth's ozone layer, confirming the success of historic regulations limiting their production. Tue, 11 Jun 2024 13:03:06 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240611130306.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240529144248.htm Researchers found that mutated mouse embryos showing an abnormal epidermal differentiation and injected with mouse pluripotent stem cells grew large patches of mature epidermis derived from the donor cells that survived transplantation to adult mice and grew natural-looking fur. Injecting the embryos with human keratinoctyes produced sheets of semi-humanized skin, suggesting that this system could be developed further to grow autologous skin grafts for treating severe skin wounds. Wed, 29 May 2024 14:42:48 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240529144248.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240520122718.htm Scientists have found that the record-low levels of sea ice around Antarctica in 2023 were extremely unlikely to happen without the influence of climate change. This low was a one-in-a-2000-year event without climate change and four times more likely under its effects. Mon, 20 May 2024 12:27:18 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240520122718.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240423184701.htm Powerful monsoon winds, strengthened by a warming climate, are lofting unexpectedly large quantities of ozone-depleting substances high into the atmosphere over East Asia, according to new research. The study found that the East Asian Monsoon delivers more than twice the concentration of very short-lived ozone-depleting substances into the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere than previously reported. Tue, 23 Apr 2024 18:47:01 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240423184701.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124532.htm The Antarctic Circumpolar Current plays an important part in global overturning circulation, the exchange of heat and CO2 between the ocean and atmosphere, and the stability of Antarctica's ice sheets. An international research team has now used sediments taken from the South Pacific to reconstruct the flow speed in the last 5.3 million years. Their data show that during glacial periods, the current slowed; during interglacials, it accelerated. Consequently, if the current global warming intensifies in the future, it could mean that the Southern Ocean stores less CO2 and that more heat reaches Antarctica. Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:45:32 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124532.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240228154720.htm New research documents the fastest-known large-scale breakage along an Antarctic ice shelf. A 6.5-mile crack formed in 2012 over 5-and-a-half minutes, showing that ice shelves can effectively shatter -- though the speed is limited by seawater rushing in. The results help inform large-scale ice sheet models and projections of future sea level rise. Wed, 28 Feb 2024 15:47:20 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240228154720.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240226204614.htm Among the vast expanse of Antarctica lies the Thwaites Glacier, the world's widest glacier measuring about 80 miles on the western edge of the continent. Despite its size, the massive landform is losing about 50 billion tons of ice more than it is receiving in snowfall, which places it in a precarious position in respect to its stability. Accelerating ice loss has been observed since the 1970s, but it is unclear when this significant melting initiated -- until now. A new study suggests that the significant glacial retreat of two glaciers on the west coast of Antarctica began in the 1940's, likely spurred by climate change. Mon, 26 Feb 2024 20:46:14 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240226204614.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240208122026.htm Researchers have uncovered the first direct evidence that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet shrunk suddenly and dramatically at the end of the Last Ice Age, around eight thousand years ago. The evidence, contained within an ice core, shows that in one location the ice sheet thinned by 450 meters -- that's more than the height of the Empire State Building -- in just under 200 years. Thu, 08 Feb 2024 12:20:26 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240208122026.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240205165846.htm The Circumpolar Current works as a regulator of the planet's climate. Its origins were thought to have caused the formation of the permanent ice in Antarctica about 34 million years ago. Now, a study has cast doubt on this theory, and has changed the understanding of how the ice sheet in Antarctic developed in the past, and what this could mean in the future as the planet's climate changes. Mon, 05 Feb 2024 16:58:46 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240205165846.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240110143930.htm The widely used dry-cleaning and degreasing solvent perc can be converted to useful chemicals by a new clean, safe and inexpensive procedure. The discovery using on-demand UV activation may open the path to upcycling perc and thus contribute to a more sustainable society. Wed, 10 Jan 2024 14:39:30 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240110143930.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231121175239.htm Despite public perception, the Antarctic ozone hole has been remarkably massive and long-lived over the past four years; researchers believe chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) aren't the only things to blame. Tue, 21 Nov 2023 17:52:39 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231121175239.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231120170922.htm The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano changed the chemistry and dynamics of the stratosphere in the year following the eruption, leading to unprecedented losses in the ozone layer of up to 7% over large areas of the Southern Hemisphere.   Mon, 20 Nov 2023 17:09:22 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231120170922.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231027165853.htm A new Antarctic ice sheet modeling study suggests that meltwater flowing out to sea from beneath Antarctic glaciers is making them lose ice faster.    Fri, 27 Oct 2023 16:58:53 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231027165853.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231019151811.htm The focus of new research was to determine how deep, how much and how frequently water in the stratosphere was being increased by thunderstorms. Thu, 19 Oct 2023 15:18:11 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231019151811.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231016163131.htm Using tools hitched to the nose cone of their research planes and sampling more than 11 miles above the planet's surface, researchers have discovered significant amounts of metals in aerosols in the atmosphere, likely from increasingly frequent launches and returns of spacecraft and satellites. That mass of metal is changing atmospheric chemistry in ways that may impact Earth's atmosphere and ozone layer. Mon, 16 Oct 2023 16:31:31 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231016163131.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231012161733.htm 71 of the 162 ice shelves that surround Antarctica have reduced in volume over 25 years from 1997 to 2021, with a net release of 7.5 trillion tons of meltwater into the oceans, say scientists.  They found that almost all the ice shelves on the western side of Antarctica experienced ice loss. In contrast, most of the ice shelves on the eastern side stayed the same or increased in volume.  Over the 25 years, the scientists calculated almost 67 trillion tonnes of ice was exported to the ocean, which was offset by 59 trillion tons of ice being added to the ice shelves, giving a net loss of 7.5 trillion tons.  Thu, 12 Oct 2023 16:17:33 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231012161733.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/09/230906112418.htm As drinking water flows through pipes and into a glass, it runs against the rubber seals inside some plumbing devices. These parts contain additives that contribute to their flexibility and durability, but these potentially harmful compounds can leak into drinking water, according to a small-scale study. The authors report that the released compounds, which are typically linked to tire pollution, also transformed into other unwanted byproducts. Wed, 06 Sep 2023 11:24:18 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/09/230906112418.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/08/230824110830.htm Emperor penguin colonies experienced unprecedented breeding failure in a region of Antarctica where there was total sea ice loss in 2022. The discovery supports predictions that over 90% of emperor penguin colonies will be quasi-extinct by the end of the century, based on current global warming trends. Thu, 24 Aug 2023 11:08:30 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/08/230824110830.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/08/230811115442.htm With methods of so-called geoengineering, the climate could theoretically be artificially influenced and cooled. Researchers have now investigated whether it would be possible to prevent the melting of the West Antarctic ice sheet by artificially 'dimming the sun'. The results show that artificial influence does not work without decarbonization and entails high risks. Fri, 11 Aug 2023 11:54:42 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/08/230811115442.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/08/230808110914.htm Extreme events in Antarctica such as ocean heatwaves and ice loss will almost certainly become more common and more severe, researchers say. Tue, 08 Aug 2023 11:09:14 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/08/230808110914.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230626164236.htm New research reduces uncertainty in future climate change linked to the stratosphere, with important implications for life on Earth. A significant source of uncertainty relates to future changes to water vapor in the stratosphere, an extremely dry region of the atmosphere 15--50 km above the Earth's surface. Future increases in water vapor here risk amplifying climate change and slowing down the recovery of the ozone layer, which protects life on Earth from harmful solar ultraviolet radiation. Mon, 26 Jun 2023 16:42:36 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230626164236.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230621164638.htm A team of glaciologists set out to quantify how much ice melt occurred on Antarctica's ice shelves from 1980 to 2021. The results might seem to be good news for the region, but the researchers say there's no cause for celebration just yet. Wed, 21 Jun 2023 16:46:38 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230621164638.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230508190601.htm New research provides clear evidence of a human 'fingerprint' on climate change and shows that specific signals from human activities have altered the temperature structure of Earth's atmosphere. Mon, 08 May 2023 19:06:01 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230508190601.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/04/230417142506.htm For several years, a team of researchers used underwater microphones to listen for seals at the edge of the Antarctic. Their initial findings indicate that sea-ice retreat has had significant effects on the animals' behavior: when the ice disappears, areas normally full of vocalizations become very quiet. Mon, 17 Apr 2023 14:25:06 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/04/230417142506.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/03/230330102327.htm Antarctic circulation could slow by more than 40 per cent over the next three decades, with significant implications for the oceans and the climate. Thu, 30 Mar 2023 10:23:27 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/03/230330102327.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/03/230313121000.htm The arrival of the new year is a prime time for Antarctic birds like the south polar skua, Antarctic petrel, and snow petrel to build nests and lay their eggs. However, from December 2021 to January 2022, researchers did not find a single skua nest on Svarthamaren, one of the regions where the birds go to raise their young. Similarly, the number of Antarctic petrel and snow petrel nests dropped to almost zero. Mon, 13 Mar 2023 12:10:00 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/03/230313121000.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/03/230310103451.htm New evidence shows that exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) ozone limit is associated with substantial increases in hospital admissions for heart attack, heart failure and stroke. Even ozone levels below the WHO maximum were linked with worsened health. Fri, 10 Mar 2023 10:34:51 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/03/230310103451.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/03/230308112113.htm A new study finds that smoke particles in the stratosphere can trigger chemical reactions that erode the ozone layer -- and that smoke particles from Australian wildfires widened the ozone hole by 10 percent in 2020. Wed, 08 Mar 2023 11:21:13 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/03/230308112113.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/02/230227132459.htm Glaciers -- giant blocks of moving ice -- along Antarctica's coastline are flowing faster in the summer because of a combination of melting snow and warmer ocean waters, say researchers. On average, the glaciers travel at around one kilometre a year. But a new study has found a seasonal variation to the speed of the ice flow, which speeded up by up to 22 % in summer when temperatures are warmer. This gives an insight into the way climate change could affect the behaviour of glaciers and the role they could play in raising sea levels. Mon, 27 Feb 2023 13:24:59 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/02/230227132459.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/02/230210115551.htm There is currently less sea ice in the Antarctic than at any time in the forty years since the beginning of satellite observation: in early February 2023, only 2.20 million square kilometers of the Southern Ocean were covered with sea ice. Fri, 10 Feb 2023 11:55:51 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/02/230210115551.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/01/230123151535.htm Scientists show reduced krill supplies lead to fewer pregnancies in humpback whales -- a finding that could have major implications for industrial krill fishing. Data from Antarctica show more humpback whales get pregnant after years with abundant krill than after years when krill were less plentiful. Mon, 23 Jan 2023 15:15:35 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/01/230123151535.htm