Latest news with #MartinStew
ITV News
4 hours ago
- Science
- ITV News
ITV News reflects on the last fortnight in Antarctica
As our Science Correspondent Martin Stew makes his long journey back home, he saw how British researchers are tracking our warming world.
ITV News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- ITV News
Antarctica: Following Shackleton's Endurance mission 100 years on
A century after Shackleton's ship Endurance sunk near Elephant Island, ITV News' Martin Stew makes the same journey on board the RRS Sir David Attenborough.
ITV News
a day ago
- Science
- ITV News
'115 humpback whales in one day' - ITV News' Polar team inspires the next generation of scientists
ITV News' Martin Stew and members of the British Antarctic Survey fielded questions at the Eureka Museum - whilst on board the RRS Sir David Attenborough.
ITV News
2 days ago
- Science
- ITV News
Antarctica's hidden sea life could be used for washing powders and ice creams
ITV News Science Correspondent Martin Stew is the only journalist on board the British research ship the RRS Sir David Attenborough, as it takes part in an expedition deep within the Antarctic Circle. No other British ship has made the journey this far south, this late in winter, since the explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton's ill-fated Endurance voyage, when his ship became trapped in the pack ice and sank in 1915. Diving in Antarctica is not for the faint-hearted. First, you often need to chainsaw through the sea ice, then plunge into the dark frozen water. Divers have special equipment from fleece underlayers to dry suits and lobster claw-shaped gloves which seal to the dry suit - even so, your hands still go numb. They have to be tethered at all times to a team above the ice to make sure they don't lose the hole to get back out. There's also the not inconsiderable risk of wildlife, orcas and leopard seals are the Apex predators in the area. But for the British Antarctic Survey marine biologists at Rothera station in Antarctica, the pain is worth it. They're in a race against time to understand and protect the marine life that can cope with sub-zero temperatures, before it disappears. It's estimated there are 20,000 species on the sea bed of the Southern Ocean. More than half of them haven't even been named. Marine biologists are trying to understand more about these weird and wonderful creatures. From brittle stars to colourful urchins and sea spiders up to two feet in diameter, the diversity on the ocean floor is incredible. But these creatures are at risk from climate change. To simulate the warming of the ocean, scientists have fitted heat pads to the seabed. They warmed areas by just a degree or two. Even with that limited rise in temperature, most of the creatures initially saw a growth spurt and then started to die. That's not just an ecological nightmare; it's also a loss of a potential goldmine of biological expertise. These species may hold the key to everything from new medicines to cold water enzymes for washing powders, and even ingredients to prevent ice cream from crystallising. 'If the Earth warms up, the first places to disappear are the cold ones,' Professor Lloyd Peck told me. 'There's no chance of them coming back. You're losing out on potential pharmaceutical discoveries. But don't forget all the animals people care about, the penguins and birds rely on the diverse ecosystem.' There's another challenge. Iceberg carving, where chunks of land ice break off and fall into the ocean, is a natural phenomenon, but it appears to be happening more regularly as the climate warms. As the bergs scour across the seabed, they kill much of the life below. When this happens infrequently, it can have a positive effect, boosting life in the long run in a similar way to a wildfire on land. The worry is, if we see icebergs carving more regularly, will wildlife still have time to recover? 'A little bit of disturbance is good' According to marine biologist Pati Glaz 'because it makes them stronger and grow back in numbers. [But] because it's more frequent they just don't have the time to grow back.' She does though hold out hope that scientists can meet the challenge in time. 'I think slowly piece by piece every single person can make a difference there's loads of researchers across Antarctica and the world that if work together I think we can do it.' She and the team are certainly willing to go to extremes to try.
ITV News
12-06-2025
- Science
- ITV News
Whales making remarkable comeback in Antarctica's waters – but dangers lie ahead
ITV News Science Correspondent Martin Stew reports from Antarctica on how human action has had a significant impact on the region's rising whale population Words by Senior Producer Rhiannon Hopley In Antarctica, there is a remarkable comeback taking place. Whales are returning in numbers to its waters. It is thought by scientists that that 2.9 million whales were killed for commercial purposes in the 20th century, driving many species to near whaling was banned in 1986 and since then populations around the world have slowly been creeping back whales have been the fastest to recover - they are nearly at pre-whaling levels. The iconic blue whale, the biggest mammal to ever have lived, are having a slower recovery. They were hunted so prolifically during the last century that the population of 42,000 in Antarctic waters was decimated to just 3,000. But researchers are now sighting them more often - a sign of a positive comeback. The next challenge is to ensure their recovery continues - but new threats wait around the corner. Antarctic krill fishing has increased dramatically over the past two decades by 400 percent, according to a report from the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living vessels often fish in areas frequented by whales and can catch more than 450,000 tonnes a year. Demand is being driven by the use of krill as food for farmed fish and in supplements like Omega-3 is creating competition with whales who travel thousands of miles to feast in Antarctica. It is also creating a danger, where whales and fishing come into close contact with one another putting the animals in danger of being caught up. One Chilean flagged vessel has had a criminal complaint filed against it after a humpback whale was killed after being caught up in its krill nets. The danger also lies within the food have discovered microplastics in the stomachs of krill - a worrying development as they are the foundation of the Antarctic food chain. It is not yet known what effect this could have but evidence that the consequences of human behaviour are felt even at the furthest reaches of our planet's wilderness.
