Best British Antarctic Survey Podcasts (2024)

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S4 Ep1: Piloting flights from Canada to Antarctica, with Vicky Auld and Olly Smith 29:32

9d ago29:32

29:32

The annual migration to the frozen continent begins! Host Nadia Frontier speaks to British Antarctic Survey pilots Vicky Auld and Olly Smith just before they begin ferrying aircraft down the spine of the Americas - from Canada to Punta Arenas on the tip of Chile, then on to Antarctica. From views of the Andes to the first glimpse of white mountains…

1
Join us at Research Unravelled 2:26

12d ago2:26

2:26

Come and listen to our new podcast, Research Unravelled. We'll be digging into the complexity that lies at the heart of research communication and hearing from expert practitioners about how they navigate or unravel that complexity. Research Unravelled is hosted by Peter Barker and brought to you by Orinoco Communications - the creative agency wher…

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4: How to study the world's most unstable glacier | Meghan Sharp, Professor Sridhar Anandakrishnan & Dr Pete Davis 37:02

1M ago37:02

37:02

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? Glaciologist…

1
S3 Ep14: The Life Antarctic, with marine biologist Nadia Frontier 22:49

2M ago22:49

22:49

Sometimes you ease yourself into a new job - and sometimes you move straight to Antarctica for two winters. In the final episode of series 3, host Nadia Frontier takes a turn in the hot seat, opening up about her 'double winter' living at Rothera Research Station. Interviewed at King Edward Point by Louis Day (meet him in series 3, episode 1).…

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3: When scientists talk about the climate | Prof Jane Francis, Dr Emma Boland & Dr Ella Gilbert 34:55

2M ago34:55

34:55

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 Gilb…

1
S3 Ep13: Ash Shinn is looking after your Antarctic research station 17:11

3M ago17:11

17:11

Do you have to get past hundreds of fur seals to get to work? Ash Shinn does - but there's no fresh water, heating or toilets at Antarctic research stations without him. Ash apparently can't get enough of working in Antarctica. He's done a real tour of Antarctic Stations almost continuously since 2021 - he worked at BAS a through the winter at Roth…

1
S3 Ep12: Yes, diving in Antarctica is COLD - with Jack Gordon and Mike Lindsell 22:37

3M ago22:37

22:37

Have you ever wondered what it's like to go diving in the freezing ocean around Antarctica? Meet Jack Gordon and Mike Lindsell, Field Dive Officers at Rothera Research Station, who are no strangers to braving immersion down to -1.8°C during winter. Their job is to look after the safety of marine scientists as they study life deep in Antarctic water…

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S3 Ep11: Fixing Skidoos in Antarctica with Matthew McPherson 16:54

4M ago16:54

16:54

Vehicle mechanic Matthew McPherson chats to Nadia Frontier about fixing skidoos, his love for building snow tunnels and skiing. It's no surprise that Matthew's draw to Antarctica started with his fascination of snow. This episode was recorded live in the Rothera garage, a location where plant is maintained and specialists parts are machined on a me…

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2: When extreme weather goes to extreme places | Dr Louise Sime and Dr Tom Bracegirdle 20:24

4M ago20:24

20:24

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…

1
Beyond the buzzword: how storytelling can transform research communications 34:45

4M ago34:45

34:45

It's the final episode of Research Comms! To mark this momentous moment, Peter takes a trip through six years of archives to explore a topic that has featured prominently throughout the series: Storytelling. With insights from past guests, including Dame Uta Frith, Kat Arney, Will Storr and Jessica Fox, the podcast unpacks why stories have such a h…

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S3: Happy Midwinter, from King Edward Point Research Station 25:39

4M ago25:39

25:39

Welcome to the longest night of the dark Antarctic winter - and the biggest celebration in the polar calendar. Coming to you (almost) live from King Edward Point (KEP) Research Station on the sub-Antarctic Island of South Georgia, Nadia Frontier chats to five members of the team as they prepare their hand-made gifts, limber up for the station olymp…

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Rewriting the future of dementia: building a community of researchers with a shared purpose | Lucy Wilson | UK Dementia Research Institute 33:57

5M ago33:57

33:57

Despite the alarming statistic that 1 in 3 people born today will develop dementia in their lifetime, research into the neurodegenerative disease has historically been underfunded compared with other areas of medical research such as cancer. In this episode of Research Comms, host Peter Barker explores the reasons behind that with Lucy Wilson, Dire…

1
S3 Ep10: Engineers of Antarctica, with Jonathan Witherstone & Jaskiran Nagi 24:34

5M ago24:34

24:34

From living beside a growing ice chasm, to signing up to live in Antarctica through dark Antarctic Winter - Jaskiran Nagi and Jonathan Witherstone are electronics engineers with a shared love of knowing how things work and being outdoors. Jas chats about his work at Halley Research Station and maintaining the seismic instruments on the ice shelf th…

1
S3: Fossil hunting and managing Antarctic mud, with the Seymour Island expedition team 33:14

6M ago33:14

33:14

Featuring ammonites shaped like giant paperclips, curry cooking in the field, and emergency mud liquidation techniques - this team of fossil hunters are fresh off their expedition to Antarctica's Seymour Island. Led by Dr Rowan Whittle from British Antarctic Survey (BAS), they want to understand how life on the Antarctic sea floor evolved over the …

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Making Sense of Sensemaking: A framework for communications that cut through the noise | Liz Neeley & Ambika Kamath | Liminal 35:51

6M ago35:51

35:51

Sensemaking is a powerful communications tool that provides a framework for understanding the world in which we live and shaping the stories that we tell. In this episode of Research Comms, Peter is joined by Liz Neeley and Ambika Kamath, the founding members of science communications collective Liminal, to unpack sensemaking and its potential for …

1
S3 Ep9: Watching wild weather in Antarctica, with Jo Cole 18:53

6M ago18:53

18:53

Meteorologist Jo Cole chats to Nadia Frontier about fixing weather stations in remote locations, and seeing the sun return after Winter from the top of a mountain. Being a meteorologist in Antarctica is a busy job! From launching weather balloons, to making hourly observations to support flights on the frozen continent, the information captured is …

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1: The mystery of the missing Antarctic sea ice | Dr Ella Gilbert 14:50

7M ago14:50

14:50

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 sc…

1
S3 Ep8: From Arran to Antarctica with Niall Macleod 18:49

7M ago18:49

18:49

In a conversation ranging from ice climbing to the trials of wearing a kilt in Antarctica, Nadia chats to Niall Macleod, the Plant Operator at Rothera Research Station through Antarctic Winter. Niall's route to Antarctica was through agriculture, quarrying and civil engineering - before deciding that he wanted to do something for the environment. H…

1
How an economic institute's video strategy helped it reach millions of people around the world | Matthew Kulvicki | Institute for New Economic Thinking 33:07

7M ago33:07

33:07

It's no secret that video can be one of the most powerful ways of sharing research with audiences online. But creating a successful strategy that will get your videos seen by the right people isn't always so straightforward. One research organisation that has achieved huge levels of public engagement with its own video content is the Institute for …

1
S3 Ep7: Leading polar expeditions, with Ed Luke and Matthew Shepherd 34:53

8M ago34:53

34:53

A field guide is one of the most highly skilled and varied jobs in Antarctica. From accompanying scientists on expeditions, training their colleagues to survive on the ice and fixing sledges, there's never a dull day. Polar field guides Ed Luke and Matthew Shepherd talk to Nadia about life on the ice and extreme camping. Produced in partnership wit…

1
S3: Leadership and a life on the ice, with Professor Dame Jane Francis 32:29

8M ago32:29

32:29

How many people can say they've lost count of their visits to Antarctica? In this special International Women's Day episode, Professor Dame Jane Francis (Director of British Antarctic Survey) chats to Nadia about her journey into science, fossil hunting in Antarctic mud, launching the RRS Sir David Attenborough with Sir David Attenborough, and lead…

1
S3 Ep6: Chefs of Antarctica, with Sadhbh Moore and Katy Rumm 32:48

8M ago32:48

32:48

Imagine cooking for 160 with only frozen, tinned and dried food... for a whole season. We all know the stomach is the route to the heart, so the meals need to feel fresh, nourishing and varied. Chefs might have the most important job at Rothera Research Station! In this episode, Summer chef Sadhbh Moore chats to host Nadia Frontier about food susta…

1
Avoiding the Spiral of Silence: The Case for Talking About Climate | Eric Fine | Yale Program on Climate Change Communication 39:08

8M ago39:08

39:08

Over the past few decades, the evidence to show that climate change is happening, that it’s caused by human activities, and that we need to take urgent action to limit its impact, has gathered at an overhelming rate. But research into the best way to communicate that message has lagged behind. That’s changing, thanks in large part to the work of or…

1
S3 Ep5: Ryan Mathews on diving and exploring in Antarctic Winter 22:35

9M ago22:35

22:35

Ryan talks to host Nadia Frontier about the extraordinary experience of living in Antarctica through the dark winter - the adventures, the challenges, and preparing for the arrival of the summer community. Ryan Mathews was the Marine Assistant at Rothera Research Station, where he works on scientific diving in Antarctica's icy waters, and in the on…

1
Generative-AI: Establishing guidelines for how to use it | Amy Mollett, Barney Brown and William Kerslake | University of Cambridge 44:52

9M ago44:52

44:52

Generative-AI tools, like ChatGPT, are increasingly embedded in the day-to-day work of research communicators. At the University of Cambridge the senior comms team has published a set of AI guidelines, created in consultation with staff across the university. In this episode of Research Comms, members of the working group that put the guidelines to…

1
S3 Ep4: Stu McManus on his journey to Antarctica as an electrician 35:27

9M ago35:27

35:27

Stu McManus was the Winter Electrician at Rothera Research Station in 2022 - and due to unforeseen circumstances, he was the only person responsible for electrics across the season. His first Antarctic job was at King Edward Point Research Station on South Georgia. Stu talks to host Nadia Frontier about overcoming imposter syndrome, camping in the …

1
A polar voyage into the New Year, with Captain Matt Neill and Jo Johnson 36:15

10M ago36:15

36:15

Featuring buried festive duck, the A23a megaberg, and the mysterious 'King Neptune's Court'. What's it like to explore and study the remote frozen places where people have never been before? Nadia Frontier talks to Captain Matt Neill of the Royal Research Ship Sir David Attenborough from the Southern Ocean, and geologist and experienced Antarctic f…

1
A polar voyage into the New Year 36:15

10M ago36:15

36:15

Featuring buried festive duck, the A23a megaberg, and the mysterious 'King Neptune's Court'. What's it like to explore and study the remote frozen places where people have never been before? Nadia Frontier talks to Captain Matt Neill of the Royal Research Ship Sir David Attenborough from the Southern Ocean, and geologist and experienced Antarctic f…

1
It's Christmas in Antarctica, with Aurelia Reichardt, Matt Hughes & Jo Cole 37:31

10M ago37:31

37:31

Featuring a missing frozen turkey, après-ski cinema, and Antarctic Secret Santa. Nadia Frontier talks to the team at Rothera Research Station about spending the festive season in Antarctica. How does this remote community make Christmas special while investigating climate change in Earth's frozen places? Produced in partnership with Boffin Media.…

1
It's Christmas in Antarctica 37:31

10M ago37:31

37:31

Featuring a missing frozen turkey, après-ski cinema, and Antarctic Secret Santa. Nadia Frontier talks to the team at Rothera Research Station about spending the festive season in Antarctica. How does this remote community make Christmas special while investigating climate change in Earth's frozen places?…

1
Trust: how can research communicators earn the trust of the public? 33:53

11M ago33:53

33:53

In this episode, host Peter Barker reflects on the unique archive of over fifty Research Comms episodes to bring together insights from those conversations around the theme of trust. Whether we’re discussing vaccine hesitancy, climate scepticism, young people’s engagement with science and scientists or the rise of conspiracy theorists, all of these…

1
S3 Ep3: Joe Clay on small community living, and keeping the power on in Antarctica 14:27

11M ago14:27

14:27

Imagine being the person in charge of keeping the power on at a research base in Antarctica. That's Joe's job, no pressure. Joe Clay was the Generator Mechanic at Rothera Research Station during Antarctic Winter 2022. Joe chats to host Nadia Frontier about finding his calling with an apprenticeship in the Merchant Navy, travelling the world as an e…

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British Antarctic Survey Podcasts

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