We’re proud to be featured on these gorgeous Antarctic learning boards in Christchurch. Made by Gateway to Antarctica: Ōtautahi Christchurch to celebrate the city’s Antarctic gateway status and history of Antarctic exploration, research and international collaboration - sounds like a bit of us!

Introducing Science Team member, paleoglaciologist and isotope chemist Ryan Venturelli! SWAIS2C brings together more than 120 scientists from around 50 research organisations. Our Polar Careers outreach series features our team members, and the work they do on and off the ice👉http://bit.ly/3I7M320

Strewth! It turns out Oz isn’t the biggest continent Down Under. Here's the latest in our series of illustrations showing the sheer scale of Antarctica relative to more familiar chunks of land. 🎨Marlo Garnsworthy. More here 👉https://www.swais2c.aq/education/educational-resources/antarctica-is-big

🚨Sound the sediment siren! Since the last season at KIS3, our engineers have been busy making modifications to our drilling system, and put it to the test in rural NZ. Co-Chief Molly Patterson recorded this update while on site www.swais2c.aq/media/test-o...

Vast, massive, enormous – there’s no shortage of words to describe the size of Antarctica, but it can be hard to get your head around. Here’s how it compares vs US. Check out our Antarctica is Big series https://www.swais2c.aq/education/educational-resources/antarctica-is-big 🎨@icebird.bsky.social

Congratulations to SWAIS2C team member Natalie-Jane Reid for being awarded an Antarctica New Zealand Doctoral Scholarship to support her research on Ross Sea deep ocean currents. She will measure records in SWAIS2C sediment cores to reconstruct deep ocean current strength bit.ly/4572S4W

Groundbreaking insights about rivers beneath the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, and their role in Ross Ice Shelf melt, have been uncovered. SWAIS2C Co-Chief Scientist Huw Horgan led the team observing this water entering the ocean cavity at KIS2, on the grounding zone of the WAIS 👉https://bit.ly/44FFniV

It's SWAIS-mail time! Not a subscriber? Catch up on all the news from the project, and sign up so you don't miss out next time 👉http://bit.ly/44RL0M8 📷Anthony Powell / Antarctica New Zealand. Thanks to the KIS3 2024/25 team for the ultimate in sign-writing.

A 100,000-year-old record of waves breaking high up on a cliff above a Cornish beach has more connection with Antarctica’s ice sheets than you might think. SWAIS2C science team member Ed Gasson explains @uk.theconversation.com bit.ly/44p6z5p

Scientists, drillers, mechanics and... Scene of Crime Officers! Our on-ice team brought together people from a range of backgrounds, including the multi-talented Sean Heaphy - hot water driller for the field season, Senior Constable with the NZ Police back home. www.police.govt.nz/news/ten-one...

For our past two field seasons, the Antarctica New Zealand traverse team hauled our gear 1328km across the Ross Ice Shelf. But the safe path to KIS3 was first mapped in 2017. Daniel Price helped find the route, and shares his experience in this new RNZ podcast 🎧https://bit.ly/3DoFUMO

Home sweet home from the air! Check out this amazing drone footage of our deep-field Antarctic research camp KIS3 this past field season. Our on-ice team spent up to 6 weeks living here on the grounding zone of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. 🎥Anthony Powell / Antarctica NZ youtube.com/shorts/CtPga...

Shout-out to the awesome women of our 2024/25 on-ice team this International Day of Women and Girls in Science! From co-chief scientist to medic to hot water driller, these inspiring women played vital roles at our deep-field research camp. Thanks for your contributions to our critical science!

What's it like camping on the snow in Antarctica? Check out hot water driller Hedley Berge's tour of his Scott Polar tent and find out! Hedley lived in his tent at our deep-field research camp on the Ross Ice Shelf for 7 weeks this season. bit.ly/3Ebl57m

It’s been a huge season for our on-ice team KIS3 - our Co-Chief @vandeflierdt.bsky.social sums it up in this end of season wrap. We’re now focussed on our next season at Crary Ice Rise, where we will attempt to obtain a long sediment core youtube.com/shorts/NM5pe...

KIS3 from space! Thanks for spotting our little deep-field camp @aretsch.bsky.social 😎

Drilling at KIS3 has ended due to a technical challenge, following the successful deployment of our sea riser. We're proud of the team’s massive effort to progress this close to obtaining the deep core, & are looking ahead to our season at Crary Ice Rise 📷 Anthony Powell/Antarctica NZ bit.ly/41Wu6v7

🎄Happy Holidays and Merry KIS-mas from the SWAIS2C on-ice team at KIS3 on the Ross Ice Shelf! 🎥 Anthony Powell / Antarctica New Zealand

🚨We’ve broken through the ice shelf! Our crack team of hot water drillers have melted their way through 587.96m of the Ross Ice Shelf to reach the ocean cavity, providing crucial access to the climate secrets hidden in the seafloor below. Well-deserved ‘victory toasties’ all round! 🧪 📷Ana Tovey

❄️Our mascots still need names! ❄️   🐧They’ll be doing seriously cool 😎science 🧪& we’re inviting students to help name them! 📝 Deadline extended to Dec 31 💡Get involved in real science & learn about what’s happening at the end of the Earth. #antarctica #STEAM #scienceeducation #scienceed

We now have a well cavity, and well pump installed. The well pump is vital – circulating water through the system, pumping an endless supply to drill our main borehole right through the 580m ice shelf. It was all hands on deck to ensure a safe and successful install! 📷Ana Tovey

Our Antarctic Intermediate Depth Drill team have been hard at work with our ‘big rig’. They’ve assembled the geological drill that has weathered a long Antarctic winter here at KIS3. To prepare for drilling they’re using the rig to put together the drill pipe. 📷Ana Tovey

The last of our on-ice team have arrived, and have taken part in Antarctic Field Training to learn skills for life at our deep-field camp. The four scientists – Arne Ulfers, Linda Armbrecht, Luca Zurli and Yuri Yamazki – and driller Stephen Stretch, had perfect weather for camping.

Hot water drilling is underway! We've begun boring the well hole through the Ross Ice Shelf, using water from snow, circulated through our six boilers, passed down through a hot water drill nozzle. We'll melt to below sea level, bore a well cavity, and lower a pump. 📷Ana Tovey

Running out of clean socks on the Ross Ice Shelf? Camp mini-washing machine to the rescue! We’re making hot water from snow to drill through the ice shelf, so we can use this ready supply for our camp washing machine. Hot water driller Hedley Berge took the machine for its first spin.

❄️It’s snowing at KIS3 today! We’re lucky to have several heated spaces on site to warm up if needed. 🎥 Ana Tovey/ SWAIS2C

It’s flubber feeding time! Over the past few days at KIS3 something big, yellow and hungry for snow, has been growing in size – our flubbers. They’re a crucial step in our efforts to access sediment below the ice shelf – providing the water we need to start hot water drilling. 🧪

We’re on an ambitious mission for sediment core, but even getting to our site is a mission! Our scientific drilling camp is incredibly remote – KIS3 is 860km from the nearest base. Getting there requires some serious logistics, specialised polar transport, and of course – a weather window.

Oh yes we Kamb! The first of our science team have made to to KIS3, our deep-field drilling camp on the Kamb Ice Stream, nearly 900 km from Scott Base. They spent their first few hours at camp meeting the rest of the team & getting their homes-away-from-home set up in “Tent City”. 📷Ana Tovey/SWAIS2C

❄️Our mascots are in Antarctica for cool science & we need students help to name them! ❄️   While they wait to fly to our deep-field site & help with our cutting-edge science 🧪 , they’re exploring Scott Base & McMurdo Station! Enter your names by Dec 22 👉 forms.gle/SSpW8n7P6tF7...

When you gotta get your steps in, but you like napping…We’re celebrating Antarctica Day by sharing this Weddell seal that our science team met today (keeping at least 10m distance!). It’s the anniversary of the 1959 Antarctic Treaty, which designated the continent to peace and science.

🗣️We're sharing some Antarctic terms and phrases, so that you too can #TalklikeanAntarctican! Here's one those travelling south hope they won't need: Boomerang bag. If your flight 'boomerangs' and turns back around, you'll be reunited with your checked-in boomerang bag. What would you pack in yours?

🚨Milestone alert! The drill tent is up! 🚨The wind at KIS3 has dropped, and our drill team have completed the final step of assembling the tent – putting the skin on. We're one step closer to the geological records we’re seeking. Find out more about why we’re drilling 👉 bit.ly/4fGHozn

Ever wondered what it’s like to fly to Antarctica? Come aboard the SWAIS2C science team’s ice flight on a US C-17 from Christchurch! It might not come with reclining seats, but the views are spectacular! 🎥Ana Tovey/SWAIS2C

Have skiway - will fly to camp! The traverse team have built a 1.6km runway, and our drillers have been able to make good use of it. Everyone is delighted that camp chef Al Chapman was also able to hitch a ride – things are looking up in the mess tent! 📷 Joe McDougal / Cliff Atkins /Jane Chewings

It's been an exciting few days for SWAIS2C! The first of our science team have arrived at Scott Base, and our drillers have flown to our deep-field camp. Here are a few pics from their journey from Aotearoa to Antarctica. 📷 Ana Tovey

Have you subscribed to the SWAIS2C newsletter? If not, don’t despair, you can read our latest edition and catch up on all the updates from the project 👉 bit.ly/4fM1AAs 📷 Joe Mcdougal / Antarctica New Zealand

An uninvited guest - a Condition 2 storm - has prevented our drillers at Scott Base flying to camp, and grounded our science team in Christchurch. Weather delays are common in Antarctica, and are factored into our plans. Hoping to get on the move tomorrow! 📷 SB storm:Jane Chewings, C17:Ana Tovey

Huge congrats to the Antarctica New Zealand traverse crew, for making it to our drilling site at KIS3! Since completing the 15-day trip over ice, they’ve been hard at work – getting the generators cranking, assembling tents, sorting supplies, and preparing a 1.6km runway in the ice. 📷 Antarctica NZ

🚨 Our mascots need names! We have an Adélie and a skua joining our on-ice team, heading to Antarctica very soon. We’re inviting students around the world to come up with the perfect names for these two feathery friends. Entries close Dec 22 | Winners announced Dec 31. Enter here 👉 bit.ly/3CR0CUA

We're sharing some Antarctic terms and phrases over the season, so that you too can #TalklikeanAntarctican! First up is a simple, but exciting, one. Our drillers have already arrived in Antarctica, and our on-ice science team go south over the next few days. Safe travels team! 🎨 @icebird.bsky.social

☀️Stunning day on the Ross Ice Shelf! Transport yourself there via #traversecam, as the Antarctica NZ traverse and camp crew edge closer to our deep-field drilling site at KIS3, on the grounding zone of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. 🎥 Joe McDougal / Antarctica NZ

And we’re off! Our on-ice season is underway, with the first of the team departing Scott Base on their extreme road trip – 15 days across the Ross Ice Shelf in a convoy of Antarctica NZ's polar vehicles. They’re towing fuel, equipment, and provisions for the 8-week season 🧪https://bit.ly/4fGHozn

We're in the UK Sunday Times! Our Co-chief Tina van de Flierdt discusses the critical science we hope to achieve this season, and her experience living in a deep field drilling camp on the Ross Ice Shelf last season. Paywalled, sorry, but check it out if you can! 🧪 www.thetimes.com/article/43b0...

@danirabaiotti.bsky.social hey Dani, can’t DM. When you get a chance, are we on the science feed? Not sure how to check this myself. Thx much! From @icebird.bsky.social E&O Ccordinator

It's #ShowYourStripes Day. Here are ours. As our planet warms, so does the ocean, sending warmer waters to Antarctica & under the ice shelves. Ice shelves act as vital dams, holding back the ice sheets flowing to the sea & slowing sea level rise. #SaveTheShelves #ClimateCrisis 🧪

Are you a science teacher, an educator of any kind, or just science-curious? Take our quick survey & sign up to receive updates about our forthcoming educational materials! Scan the QR code or click: forms.gle/bj5rad51z9TZ... 🧪

Are you a science teacher, an educator of any kind, or just science-curious? Take our quick survey & sign up to receive updates about our forthcoming educational materials! Scan the QR code or click: forms.gle/bj5rad51z9TZ... 🧪

SWAIS2C core workshop offers first glimpse of sediment from below Ross Ice Shelf www.imperial.ac.uk/news/253455/...

Constructing a submarine curtain to hold back West #Antarctica's glaciers? A new study shows it would slow but not stop ice loss, and there's no easy way to regrow what's already been lost @nick-golledge.bsky.social @swais2c.bsky.social theconversation.com/why-artifici...