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/ (https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/beyond-the-ice-7114973466654560256/)
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 originates 150 million km away on the surface of the sun.
The space surrounding our planet can be just as turbulent as Earth's atmosphere, with powerful solar winds and violent storms that send bursts of energy racing through our solar system. This ‘space weather’ can have very real consequences, creating spectacular auroras, interfering with satellite communications, disrupting power grids, and affecting the technology that modern society depends upon.
In this edition of Beyond the Ice, we meet Professor Richard Horne, a distinguished research scientist in the Space Weather and Atmosphere team at the British Antarctic Survey. He talks about why understanding space weather is becoming a priority in both science and industry, and why our poles, especially Antarctica, are some of the best places on Earth to study it.
This was our final episode of Beyond the Ice, but a new podcast from British Antarctic Survey is coming in the autumn. A huge thank you to all of our listeners and subscribers!
--
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. Read previous editions here: linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7114973466654560256 (http://linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7114973466654560256)
This episode of Beyond the Ice was presented by Em Newton and edited by Boffin Media.
26 Feb 2026
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 Beyond the Ice, Oliver Darke (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAABpjeqMBG7ixWdwG9VRS6opWB9CuhKDpHGk?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAABpjeqMBG7ixWdwG9VRS6opWB9CuhKDpHGk), Director of Operations, Engineering and Infrastructure at British Antarctic Survey, talks about what international collaboration in Antarctica looks like on the ground - and how this fits into today’s diplomatic global context.
In Antarctica, the continent has been governed internationally and cooperatively through the Antarctic Treaty since 1959 – an agreement which suspends territorial claims and preserves Antarctica for peace and science. How does this unique context create opportunity for international partnerships?
--
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/ (https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/beyond-the-ice-7114973466654560256/)
Beyond the Ice is edited and presented by Em Newton.
2 Jan 2026
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 Rowan’s creative response to Jo's research into glaciers, ice sheets, and the geology of Antarctica.
This collaboration comes at a critical moment. The climate crisis is no longer a distant threat, yet scientific data can be overwhelming, and abstract numbers can leave people feeling disconnected rather than motivated to act. Art offers another way in, transforming the science into something tangible, emotional, and open to questioning. It invites audiences to engage with the realities of climate change on different, more human terms.
--
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/ (https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/beyond-the-ice-7114973466654560256/)
This episode is presented by Em Newton, and edited by Tabby Taylor Buck.
25 Sept 2025
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 stutters.
Geoengineering is the deliberate, large scale intervention in Earth's environment and natural systems. As the impacts of climate change start to be felt, preliminary ideas like putting a huge underwater curtain around the unstable Thwaites Glacier are getting more and more media time. Are these necessary tools for climate adaption, or dangerous distractions?
Professor Dame Jane Francis, Director of British Antarctic Survey, delves into the reality of why we are turning towards geoengineering tools, and the urgent need for scientific engagement to ensure the potential impacts of these technologies are fully assessed.
--
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/ (https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/beyond-the-ice-7114973466654560256/)
Beyond the Ice is edited and presented by Em Newton.
30 Jul 2025
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 melting? The reality reveals fascinating insights into how Antarctica's ice system responds to extreme weather.
Climate scientist Dr Michelle Maclennan from British Antarctic Survey explains how scientists measure ice changes across this enormous continent. What does "mass balance" actually mean? What are atmospheric rivers, and what part do they play in extreme events? And does this recent ice gain signal hope for the future - or is it just a brief pause in Antarctica's contribution to rising seas?
--
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/ (https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/beyond-the-ice-7114973466654560256/)
Beyond the Ice is edited and presented by Em Newton.
12 Jun 2025
9: Are Emperor penguins heading for extinction? | Dr Peter Fretwell
Dr. Peter Fretwell discusses the alarming 22% decline in Emperor penguin populations due to climate change and disappearing sea ice, which threatens their breeding cycles in this interview.
14 May 2025
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 recounts how routine measurements at Halley Research Station revealed data points literally 'falling off the graph' - the first evidence linking chlorofluorocarbons to ozone depletion.
Professor John Pyle explains how this evidence led to the Montreal Protocol, now ratified by every country worldwide and hailed as the most successful international environmental agreement ever. Atmospheric chemist Professor Lucy Carpenter brings us up to date: the ozone layer is recovering but faces challenges from climate change and extreme wildfires.
What lessons can this remarkable story of scientific discovery, political action and environmental recovery teach us about tackling today's climate crisis? And how close are we to seeing the Antarctic ozone hole finally close?
--
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/ (https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/beyond-the-ice-7114973466654560256/)
Beyond the Ice is edited and presented by Em Newton.
27 Feb 2025
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 small, significantly below the record lows seen in 2012. Polar climate scientist Dr Caroline Holmes explains what's influencing these lows in Arctic sea ice, and how it fits into the global climate.
Will the Arctic be 'ice free in summer by 2100'? How do climate scientists actually come up with these headlines? What's going on inside those predictive 'climate models' we always hear about? And what do you say to a sceptic who says we've seen this all before?
--
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/ (https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/beyond-the-ice-7114973466654560256/)
Beyond the Ice is edited and presented by Em Newton.
16 Jan 2025
6: How are the LA wildfires linked to climate change? | Dr Ella Gilbert & Dr Thomas Bauska
Climate scientists Dr Ella Gilbert and Dr Thomas Bauska explain how the LA wildfires are linked to climate change, revealing the devastating impact of a warming planet on fire-prone regions.
2 Dec 2024
5: Why does melting Arctic ice matter? | Dr Kelly Hogan & Professor Kate Hendry
Marine geophysicist Dr Kelly Hogan and marine biogeochemist Professor Kate Hendry explore the catastrophic consequences of a melting Arctic, revealing the interconnectedness of frozen environments and the importance of understanding past climate patterns.
24 Sept 2024
4: How to study the world's most unstable glacier | Meghan Sharp, Professor Sridhar Anandakrishnan & Dr Pete Davis
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?
Glaciologists Meghan Sharp and Professor Sridhar Anandakrishnan, and oceanographer Dr Pete Davis talk about their epic field work to study Thwaites Glacier, and explain the key mechanics that are shaping its future.
This podcast was recorded in the middle of the final science conference for the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration, when findings were being shared and new models were being hashed out. By the end of the week, the community shared their latest model predictions: that the melting of Thwaites will accelerate through the 21st and 22nd centuries, leading to the collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in the 23rd century. Crucially, they also shared that emissions levels make an actual difference to the timeline of melting.
---
Ticket to Antarctica!
Want to send your name to Antarctica? Add your name to our time capsule travelling on the RRS Sir David Attenborough from the UK to Rothera Research Station. When you sign up, you'll get a personalised digital ticket, and receive weekly updates from the adventure with stories, videos and interviews.
Sign up at: https://tickettoantarctica.co.uk (https://tickettoantarctica.co.uk)
---
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/ (https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/beyond-the-ice-7114973466654560256/)
Beyond the Ice is edited and presented by Em Newton.
19 Aug 2024
3: When scientists talk about the climate | Prof Jane Francis, Dr Emma Boland & Dr Ella Gilbert
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 Gilbert, in a discussion that spans from the nitty gritty of what language they use, to describing their dream documentary series.
We all want science experts to lead conversations about our climate in the media - but gathering the courage and experience to talk to the media is no mean feat. They share their top tips for talking about a topic that can seem scary and divisive, and what motivates them to keep going.
---
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/ (https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/beyond-the-ice-7114973466654560256/)
Beyond the Ice is edited and presented by Em Newton.
9 Jul 2024
2: When extreme weather goes to extreme places | Dr Louise Sime and Dr Tom Bracegirdle
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 what happens when extreme weather hits the continent of extremes - Antarctica?
Climate scientists Dr Louise Sime and Dr Tom Bracegirdle from British Antarctic Survey are here with your briefing why global warming is causing extreme weather. How do we work out which extreme events are due to climate change? And what does this mean for our future climate?
---
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/ (https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/beyond-the-ice-7114973466654560256/)
Beyond the Ice is edited and presented by Em Newton.
11 Apr 2024
1: The mystery of the missing Antarctic sea ice | Dr Ella Gilbert
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 scientist Dr Ella Gilbert from British Antarctic Survey is here with your briefing on what we know about the record-breaking sea ice lows and their connection to climate change. How does sea ice moderate global temperatures? And what does this mean for our future climate?
---
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/ (https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/beyond-the-ice-7114973466654560256/)
28 Dec 2023
A polar voyage into the New Year
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 field scientist Jo Johnson.
22 Dec 2023
It's Christmas in Antarctica
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?
Who has been a guest on Beyond the Ice
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Dr Peter Fretwell
Dr Ella Gilbert
Dr Thomas Bauska
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
6,620,932
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Podcast Authority Score: 35 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
23
Social presence
0
YouTube
93
Engagement
27
Contact Beyond the Ice
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Beyond the Ice?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
