Navigation for Our Changing World
Biology
From Our Changing World
Antarctica is a frozen desert surrounded by a super-cooled ocean. Meet some of the creatures that thrive in this challenging environment.
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Thar she goes! On the tail of the Kermadec humpback whales
Satellite tagging has revealed that humpback whales that breed in Oceania socialise at Raoul Island in the Kermadecs and has shown where in Antarctica they go to feed. Audio
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New Zealand's prehistoric polar forests
A team of Australian and New Zealand fossil hunters on a National Geographic expedition spent weeks scouring sites in Marlborough and on the Chatham Islands for remnants of prehistoric polar forests.
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Life at the edge
Light is crucial to the creatures that live on the ocean floor around Antarctica, but they have to get by without it for several weeks. NIWA marine ecologist Vonda Cummings explains how. Video, Audio
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Commuting Secrets of Antarctic Orca
New Zealand and Italian researchers have confirmed that Type C killer whales from Antarctica travel to and from northern New Zealand Audio, Gallery
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Antarctica reveals secrets to scientists
25 Jun 2015Scientists discover that Antarctica and the Southern Ocean harbour a surprisingly rich and expansive biological diversity. Audio
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Krill to Blue Whales: Food Webs in the Southern Ocean
After six weeks in the Southern Ocean, scientists return with thousands of blue whale call recordings and hundreds of samples. Audio
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Unexpected Life Under the Antarctic Ice
A team of scientists drilling through thick Antarctic ice were surprised to discover fish surviving more than 500 km from open ocean Audio
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Tracking blue whales in the Southern Ocean
New Zealand and Australian scientists head off on a six-week voyage to Antarctica to study top predators in the Southern Ocean. Audio
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Life in Antarctica's Sea Ice
16 Jun 2011Antarctic sea ice is home to a great diversity of microbes and algae living in and under the ice Audio
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Antarctic Fish Leeches and Antifreeze
28 Apr 2011Very little is known about Antarctica's fish leeches, including whether they use antifreeze to survive subzero temperatures Audio
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Surveying Adelie Penguins in Antarctica
17 Feb 2011Each summer Adelie penguins in the Ross Sea are counted using aerial photography as part of a long-term study Audio
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Emperor Penguins
10 Feb 2011Alison Ballance talks with Antarctic veteran Gerald Kooyman about 30 years of research on Emperor penguins Audio
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Adelie Penguin Genetics
23 Apr 2009Evolutionary biologists ask why a high evolution rate in Adelie penguins results in few, if any, morphological changes. Audio
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Adelie Penguins
7 Jul 2007Research zoologist Kerry Barton spends her summers at one of the noisiest penguin colonies in Antarctica. Audio
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Anti-freeze in Antarctic Fish (Science)
20 Jul 2006Dean Williams discusses survival techniques and antifreeze in Antarctic fish with Auckland University's Clive Evans. Audio
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Icebergs (Science)
17 Nov 2005A team of Massey University scientists reports that giant icebergs have promoted micro-evolution in Adelie penguins. Audio
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Snow Petrels of the Antarctic (Science)
5 Oct 2006David Lambert has managed to extract ancient DNA from frozen snow petrel vomit as part of his evolutionary studies. Audio
A collection of Our Changing World stories about Antarctica.
Gallery
More about Antarctica on Radio New Zealand
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Pole To Pole
A three-part documentary series marking the International Polar Year 2007-2008. -
Nine to Noon in Antarctica
Kathryn Ryan visits Scott Base and meets scientists researching climate change.