|
British Antarctic Survey
Factfile |
 British Antarctic Survey |
 |
Introduction |
|
Photograph courtesy of the British Antarctic Survey
Antarctica is a beautiful and fascinating place. It is almost as large as Australia and the United States put together – 10% of the planet’s land area. It is the coldest, driest, highest and windiest place on earth and it has a profound effect on the world’s climate and ocean systems.
Britain has been involved in the Antarctic for more than 200 years. Many years ago, in the hope of making a geographical discovery, explorers like James Weddell, a Scots sealing captain, were drawn towards Antarctica. Weddell reached as far as 74º15’ S to a stretch of water now know as the Weddell Sea and he also found a new type of seal, which is now named after him – the Weddell Seal. This seal lives further south than any other seal.
Later, explorers Scott and Amundsen came to Antarctica with the aim of making territorial claims. When Scott left London in June 1910, with 65 men, 17 ponies, 30 dogs and 3 motorized sledges. Scott wrote in his diary:
"What matters now, is that the Pole should be obtained by an Englishman."
Today, Antarctica has become a continent for science. Over the last 50 years the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), an institute of the Natural Environment Council, has undertaken the majority of Britain’s research on and around the continent and on behalf of the British Government, the Survey organizes and undertakes a programme of Antarctic research, chiefly in the British Antarctic Territory, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands.
Undertaking only high quality science of relevance to global problems, BAS activities span a wide range of science. ‘Global warming’, collapsing ice shelves, sea level rise and extreme weather events are in the news almost every week. With these threats to our safety and our economies it is more important than ever that scientists are able to understand the patterns of past climate change and use this knowledge to best-predict what might happen in the future.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
