Beyond the Ice12 Jun 2025

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 are emperor penguins disappearing faster than scientists predicted? What complex factors beyond melting ice are threatening their survival? Could they really be facing extinction by 2100? And how do researchers monitor wildlife populations that humans can barely reach?
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Beyond the Ice helps you 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 is also available as a LinkedIn Newsletter. Subscribe here:
https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/beyond-the-ice-7114973466654560256/
Beyond the Ice is edited and presented by Em Newton.

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Episoder(14)

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 or...

6 Aug 31min

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 Beyo...

26 Feb 36min

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 ...

2 Jan 29min

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 s...

25 Sep 202523min

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 m...

30 Jul 202524min

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 recoun...

14 Mai 202524min

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 ...

27 Feb 202525min