Latest news with #sub-Antarctic
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- Science
- New Indian Express
Southern hemisphere is full of birds found nowhere else on Earth, reveals study
MELBOURNE: The snow petrel, a strikingly white bird with black eyes and a black bill, is one of only three bird species ever observed at the South Pole. In fact, the Antarctic is the only place on Earth where this bird lives. It isn't alone in this. Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic harbour a large number of endemic species, which means these species are only found in one or a few locations in the world. In other words, these regions have a high degree of endemism an important metric that tells us where to focus species conservation efforts. But our new study shows that the degree of endemism in Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic and in the southern hemisphere more generally has been underestimated. This is important because areas with a high degree of endemism harbour species with restricted ranges, unique evolutionary history or unique ecological functions. This makes them potentially more vulnerable to disturbances such as climate change, fundamental changes in habitat, or invasive introduced species. If the degree of endemism is underestimated, conservation efforts may overlook the sites that are home to irreplaceable birds. Biased measurements: There are two reasons why global patterns of species endemism aren't well defined. First, the most common method used to calculate endemism tends to give higher values to places with more species overall -- this is known as species richness. In addition, global studies of diversity often exclude areas that are comparatively species-poor. These areas are mainly in the southern hemisphere, most notably the Antarctic region. When sites that only contain a few species are left out, this influences the estimates of endemism for all other sites. An alternative way to calculate endemism takes into account a site's complementarity. This metric considers whether species found at a site are also found elsewhere. With this method, we can find sites that have the highest percentage of species with a restricted range. At such highly endemic sites, the local ecosystem relies heavily on species with restricted ranges to function, which makes them all the more irreplaceable. Global hotspots for endemic species This is the approach we used in our new study to reassess the endemism of birds worldwide. In our study, we also considered other aspects of bird diversity. We measured endemism with regard to whether sites hold irreplaceable evolutionary history and ecological functions of birds. We found that southern-hemisphere communities showed higher rates of local endemism than northern-hemisphere communities across all aspects of diversity. The sub-Antarctic islands and the High Andes, as well as several regions in Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand and southern Africa, stand out as global hotspots of endemism.
West Australian
21-06-2025
- Climate
- West Australian
3000 swimmers bare all and strip down to tackle the harsh waters on during the winter solstice
Swimmers have stripped off and braved brisk waters on the shortest day of the year. Wearing nothing but red swim caps, 3000 souls took the annual nude sunrise plunge into Hobart's River Derwent to mark the winter solstice on Saturday. The water temperature was about 13C as the naked pack took to the river at 7.40am, sparking shrieks and anguished yells. Liz Cannard, who has been travelling around Tasmania for almost four months with her husband, said she was petrified before taking the dip. 'I'm not a strong swimmer and I don't take my gear off for anybody ... so I've ticked off a couple of things today,' the Geelong resident said. Lizzy Nash from Sydney was also in the mood for a bit of carpe diem. 'It's about seizing the moment, seizing life and being inspired,' she said. 'This is the sort of thing that motivates you to want to do more and challenge yourself. It was awe-inspiring and I absolutely loved it.' The free swim is part of the Dark Mofo festival and started with just a few hundred participants in 2013. Melburnian Belinda Chambers has been watching people do it on television for years and decided to work remotely from Tasmania for the festival so she could stay and leave on a high. 'So exhilarating,' she said post swim. 'I was nervous but there was this almost primal moment of everyone being together that carries you along, and a sense of pure happiness.' Dark Mofo festival returned to its full pomp in 2025 after running a reduced program in 2024 so it could find a more sustainable financial model. It has made a name for itself by courting controversy and in 2018 drew the ire of some by installing inverted Christian crosses along Hobart's waterfront. Festival artistic director Chris Twite said the swim was a tremendous way to bring things to a close. 'The response in 2025 has been incredible,' he said. 'The streets of Hobart have come alive with locals and visitors celebrating winter and Dark Mofo again.' University of Queensland psychologists surveyed swimmers in previous years before and after they took the plunge and found a significant boost in feelings of connection. 'People told us about whether they felt pain and pleasure during the swim,' Laura Ferris said. 'And those who rated their swim as pleasurable also felt more social connection with the other people around them.' It is an example of people seeking out aversive experiences, such as eating extremely spicy food or watching horror movies. 'This is what psychologists call 'benign masochism',' Dr Ferris said. That could be the optimal term for expeditioners at Australia's four Antarctic and sub-Antarctic research stations, who also celebrated the solstice with a much-colder traditional plunge. At the three Antarctic stations, a hole is cut in the sea ice each year and expeditioners have a quick dip in the sub-zero waters. 'The shock is closely followed by a rush, which is quickly followed by a scramble to the ladder to get the hell out of that water,' Mawson Station leader Dave Roberts said. 'Ironically, the water is warmer than the wind chill, so it's all a bit confusing but totally worth it.' Those on the sub-Antarctic base at Macquarie Island have it mildly easier for their beach swims, with temperatures hovering from 2C to 4C. A shared meal and the exchanging of gifts and awards round out expedition festivities for the solstice, which is historically the most important day on the Australian Antarctic calendar. 'It's the soul of the Antarctic winter,' Casey Station leader Andy Warton said.
The Advertiser
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
Primal moment: nudes brave icy waters for solstice swim
Swimmers have stripped off and braved brisk waters on the shortest day of the year. Wearing nothing but red swim caps, 3000 souls took the annual nude sunrise plunge into Hobart's River Derwent to mark the winter solstice on Saturday. The water temperature was about 13C as the naked pack took to the river at 7.40am, sparking shrieks and anguished yells. Liz Cannard, who has been travelling around Tasmania for almost four months with her husband, said she was petrified before taking the dip. "I'm not a strong swimmer and I don't take my gear off for anybody ... so I've ticked off a couple of things today," the Geelong resident said. Lizzy Nash from Sydney was also in the mood for a bit of carpe diem. "It's about seizing the moment, seizing life and being inspired," she said. "This is the sort of thing that motivates you to want to do more and challenge yourself. It was awe-inspiring and I absolutely loved it." The free swim is part of the Dark Mofo festival and started with just a few hundred participants in 2013. Melburnian Belinda Chambers has been watching people do it on television for years and decided to work remotely from Tasmania for the festival so she could stay and leave on a high. "So exhilarating," she said post swim. "I was nervous but there was this almost primal moment of everyone being together that carries you along, and a sense of pure happiness." Dark Mofo festival returned to its full pomp in 2025 after running a reduced program in 2024 so it could find a more sustainable financial model. It has made a name for itself by courting controversy and in 2018 drew the ire of some by installing inverted Christian crosses along Hobart's waterfront. Festival artistic director Chris Twite said the swim was a tremendous way to bring things to a close. "The response in 2025 has been incredible," he said. "The streets of Hobart have come alive with locals and visitors celebrating winter and Dark Mofo again." University of Queensland psychologists surveyed swimmers in previous years before and after they took the plunge and found a significant boost in feelings of connection. "People told us about whether they felt pain and pleasure during the swim," Laura Ferris said. "And those who rated their swim as pleasurable also felt more social connection with the other people around them." It is an example of people seeking out aversive experiences, such as eating extremely spicy food or watching horror movies. "This is what psychologists call 'benign masochism'," Dr Ferris said. That could be the optimal term for expeditioners at Australia's four Antarctic and sub-Antarctic research stations, who also celebrated the solstice with a much-colder traditional plunge. At the three Antarctic stations, a hole is cut in the sea ice each year and expeditioners have a quick dip in the sub-zero waters. "The shock is closely followed by a rush, which is quickly followed by a scramble to the ladder to get the hell out of that water," Mawson Station leader Dave Roberts said. "Ironically, the water is warmer than the wind chill, so it's all a bit confusing but totally worth it." Those on the sub-Antarctic base at Macquarie Island have it mildly easier for their beach swims, with temperatures hovering from 2C to 4C. A shared meal and the exchanging of gifts and awards round out expedition festivities for the solstice, which is historically the most important day on the Australian Antarctic calendar. "It's the soul of the Antarctic winter," Casey Station leader Andy Warton said. Swimmers have stripped off and braved brisk waters on the shortest day of the year. Wearing nothing but red swim caps, 3000 souls took the annual nude sunrise plunge into Hobart's River Derwent to mark the winter solstice on Saturday. The water temperature was about 13C as the naked pack took to the river at 7.40am, sparking shrieks and anguished yells. Liz Cannard, who has been travelling around Tasmania for almost four months with her husband, said she was petrified before taking the dip. "I'm not a strong swimmer and I don't take my gear off for anybody ... so I've ticked off a couple of things today," the Geelong resident said. Lizzy Nash from Sydney was also in the mood for a bit of carpe diem. "It's about seizing the moment, seizing life and being inspired," she said. "This is the sort of thing that motivates you to want to do more and challenge yourself. It was awe-inspiring and I absolutely loved it." The free swim is part of the Dark Mofo festival and started with just a few hundred participants in 2013. Melburnian Belinda Chambers has been watching people do it on television for years and decided to work remotely from Tasmania for the festival so she could stay and leave on a high. "So exhilarating," she said post swim. "I was nervous but there was this almost primal moment of everyone being together that carries you along, and a sense of pure happiness." Dark Mofo festival returned to its full pomp in 2025 after running a reduced program in 2024 so it could find a more sustainable financial model. It has made a name for itself by courting controversy and in 2018 drew the ire of some by installing inverted Christian crosses along Hobart's waterfront. Festival artistic director Chris Twite said the swim was a tremendous way to bring things to a close. "The response in 2025 has been incredible," he said. "The streets of Hobart have come alive with locals and visitors celebrating winter and Dark Mofo again." University of Queensland psychologists surveyed swimmers in previous years before and after they took the plunge and found a significant boost in feelings of connection. "People told us about whether they felt pain and pleasure during the swim," Laura Ferris said. "And those who rated their swim as pleasurable also felt more social connection with the other people around them." It is an example of people seeking out aversive experiences, such as eating extremely spicy food or watching horror movies. "This is what psychologists call 'benign masochism'," Dr Ferris said. That could be the optimal term for expeditioners at Australia's four Antarctic and sub-Antarctic research stations, who also celebrated the solstice with a much-colder traditional plunge. At the three Antarctic stations, a hole is cut in the sea ice each year and expeditioners have a quick dip in the sub-zero waters. "The shock is closely followed by a rush, which is quickly followed by a scramble to the ladder to get the hell out of that water," Mawson Station leader Dave Roberts said. "Ironically, the water is warmer than the wind chill, so it's all a bit confusing but totally worth it." Those on the sub-Antarctic base at Macquarie Island have it mildly easier for their beach swims, with temperatures hovering from 2C to 4C. A shared meal and the exchanging of gifts and awards round out expedition festivities for the solstice, which is historically the most important day on the Australian Antarctic calendar. "It's the soul of the Antarctic winter," Casey Station leader Andy Warton said. Swimmers have stripped off and braved brisk waters on the shortest day of the year. Wearing nothing but red swim caps, 3000 souls took the annual nude sunrise plunge into Hobart's River Derwent to mark the winter solstice on Saturday. The water temperature was about 13C as the naked pack took to the river at 7.40am, sparking shrieks and anguished yells. Liz Cannard, who has been travelling around Tasmania for almost four months with her husband, said she was petrified before taking the dip. "I'm not a strong swimmer and I don't take my gear off for anybody ... so I've ticked off a couple of things today," the Geelong resident said. Lizzy Nash from Sydney was also in the mood for a bit of carpe diem. "It's about seizing the moment, seizing life and being inspired," she said. "This is the sort of thing that motivates you to want to do more and challenge yourself. It was awe-inspiring and I absolutely loved it." The free swim is part of the Dark Mofo festival and started with just a few hundred participants in 2013. Melburnian Belinda Chambers has been watching people do it on television for years and decided to work remotely from Tasmania for the festival so she could stay and leave on a high. "So exhilarating," she said post swim. "I was nervous but there was this almost primal moment of everyone being together that carries you along, and a sense of pure happiness." Dark Mofo festival returned to its full pomp in 2025 after running a reduced program in 2024 so it could find a more sustainable financial model. It has made a name for itself by courting controversy and in 2018 drew the ire of some by installing inverted Christian crosses along Hobart's waterfront. Festival artistic director Chris Twite said the swim was a tremendous way to bring things to a close. "The response in 2025 has been incredible," he said. "The streets of Hobart have come alive with locals and visitors celebrating winter and Dark Mofo again." University of Queensland psychologists surveyed swimmers in previous years before and after they took the plunge and found a significant boost in feelings of connection. "People told us about whether they felt pain and pleasure during the swim," Laura Ferris said. "And those who rated their swim as pleasurable also felt more social connection with the other people around them." It is an example of people seeking out aversive experiences, such as eating extremely spicy food or watching horror movies. "This is what psychologists call 'benign masochism'," Dr Ferris said. That could be the optimal term for expeditioners at Australia's four Antarctic and sub-Antarctic research stations, who also celebrated the solstice with a much-colder traditional plunge. At the three Antarctic stations, a hole is cut in the sea ice each year and expeditioners have a quick dip in the sub-zero waters. "The shock is closely followed by a rush, which is quickly followed by a scramble to the ladder to get the hell out of that water," Mawson Station leader Dave Roberts said. "Ironically, the water is warmer than the wind chill, so it's all a bit confusing but totally worth it." Those on the sub-Antarctic base at Macquarie Island have it mildly easier for their beach swims, with temperatures hovering from 2C to 4C. A shared meal and the exchanging of gifts and awards round out expedition festivities for the solstice, which is historically the most important day on the Australian Antarctic calendar. "It's the soul of the Antarctic winter," Casey Station leader Andy Warton said. Swimmers have stripped off and braved brisk waters on the shortest day of the year. Wearing nothing but red swim caps, 3000 souls took the annual nude sunrise plunge into Hobart's River Derwent to mark the winter solstice on Saturday. The water temperature was about 13C as the naked pack took to the river at 7.40am, sparking shrieks and anguished yells. Liz Cannard, who has been travelling around Tasmania for almost four months with her husband, said she was petrified before taking the dip. "I'm not a strong swimmer and I don't take my gear off for anybody ... so I've ticked off a couple of things today," the Geelong resident said. Lizzy Nash from Sydney was also in the mood for a bit of carpe diem. "It's about seizing the moment, seizing life and being inspired," she said. "This is the sort of thing that motivates you to want to do more and challenge yourself. It was awe-inspiring and I absolutely loved it." The free swim is part of the Dark Mofo festival and started with just a few hundred participants in 2013. Melburnian Belinda Chambers has been watching people do it on television for years and decided to work remotely from Tasmania for the festival so she could stay and leave on a high. "So exhilarating," she said post swim. "I was nervous but there was this almost primal moment of everyone being together that carries you along, and a sense of pure happiness." Dark Mofo festival returned to its full pomp in 2025 after running a reduced program in 2024 so it could find a more sustainable financial model. It has made a name for itself by courting controversy and in 2018 drew the ire of some by installing inverted Christian crosses along Hobart's waterfront. Festival artistic director Chris Twite said the swim was a tremendous way to bring things to a close. "The response in 2025 has been incredible," he said. "The streets of Hobart have come alive with locals and visitors celebrating winter and Dark Mofo again." University of Queensland psychologists surveyed swimmers in previous years before and after they took the plunge and found a significant boost in feelings of connection. "People told us about whether they felt pain and pleasure during the swim," Laura Ferris said. "And those who rated their swim as pleasurable also felt more social connection with the other people around them." It is an example of people seeking out aversive experiences, such as eating extremely spicy food or watching horror movies. "This is what psychologists call 'benign masochism'," Dr Ferris said. That could be the optimal term for expeditioners at Australia's four Antarctic and sub-Antarctic research stations, who also celebrated the solstice with a much-colder traditional plunge. At the three Antarctic stations, a hole is cut in the sea ice each year and expeditioners have a quick dip in the sub-zero waters. "The shock is closely followed by a rush, which is quickly followed by a scramble to the ladder to get the hell out of that water," Mawson Station leader Dave Roberts said. "Ironically, the water is warmer than the wind chill, so it's all a bit confusing but totally worth it." Those on the sub-Antarctic base at Macquarie Island have it mildly easier for their beach swims, with temperatures hovering from 2C to 4C. A shared meal and the exchanging of gifts and awards round out expedition festivities for the solstice, which is historically the most important day on the Australian Antarctic calendar. "It's the soul of the Antarctic winter," Casey Station leader Andy Warton said.
1News
14-06-2025
- Climate
- 1News
'Perfect breeding ground': Why forecasting NZ's weather is so difficult
New Zealand's weather has a reputation for being unpredictable and keeping both locals and forecasters on their toes. However, behind the famous "four seasons in one day" catchphrase is a perfect storm of geography, winds, and oceans. "New Zealand is an isolated, island nation in the middle of the roaring 40s, where fast moving weather systems are not uncommon, contributing to our highly changeable weather," said MetService. The roaring 40s refer to a belt of strong westerly winds that circle the Southern Hemisphere. ADVERTISEMENT These prevailing winds, paired with air masses from both the subtropics and the polar south, mean New Zealand is constantly caught between weather extremes. 1News' meteorologist Daniel Corbett said this positioning makes New Zealand the "perfect breeding ground" for unpredictable weather. "We're getting cold, we're getting warm, all mixing together." Corbett said weather systems can often "get stuck" and don't move across the country. "Sometimes these areas of cold higher up, these cold pools as we call them, move through and then they get surrounded by warm air. And it's like a car sitting in a lump of mud, spinning its wheels. It doesn't move, so you get the rain for several days." North to south variations New Zealand's long and narrow shape, stretching more than 1600 kilometres from Cape Reinga to Bluff, means varied seasons and vastly different climate conditions between the north and south. ADVERTISEMENT A MetService spokesperson said this led to "highly changeable day-to-day weather" that was often influenced by multiple weather systems. "It's rare for every region in New Zealand to be experiencing similar weather conditions." Mountainous terrain and surrounding ocean also play a role. When westerlies push rain onto the South Island's West Coast, the Southern Alps shield the east from bad weather. "However, it's those same Alps that also create the Foehn wind effect with Canterbury hit by strong and warm northwesterlies." The Tasman Sea provides a "breeding ground" for low pressure systems that often produce heavy rain, strong winds and thunderstorms, MetService said. Systems from New Zealand's northwest can bring warm or mild air, while systems from the Southern Ocean bring cold air from the sub-Antarctic regions and are responsible for cold snaps. ADVERTISEMENT New Zealand from Himawari 8, a Japanese weather satellite in geostationary orbit. (Source: Supplied) To keep up with these systems, MetService operates a high-resolution weather model down to 200 metres, and receives satellite imagery every 10 minutes from a Japanese geostationary satellite near the equator. Despite that, radar coverage can be patchy due to mountainous terrain and the curvature of the Earth. "There are still gaps in coverage in the lowest parts of the atmosphere," the national meteorological service's spokesperson said. "Sudden changes in weather, particularly thunderstorms, are challenging to forecast anywhere in the world, but it is even more challenging in mountainous countries such as New Zealand where the weather varies rapidly from one place to another." What next? The future of forecasting in New Zealand could benefit from AI advancements, MetService said. ADVERTISEMENT "Computers are getting faster, including the super computers that run weather models, which means higher resolution outputs are possible, providing a more detailed picture of the incoming weather. "This finer detail is especially helpful when looking at smaller features such as thunderstorms or local wind conditions." For now though, MetService advised Kiwis to stay vigilant to "highly changeable" weather. "Weather can often deteriorate quickly. Keeping updated with the latest MetService forecast and severe weather information, puts you in the best position to stay safe and keep those around you safe." Watch Daniel Corbett's explanation of our unpredictable weather on TVNZ+
The South African
10-06-2025
- Climate
- The South African
Cold weather brings unexpected snow and fire tragedies
Cold weather has gripped South Africa, with high-altitude regions experiencing snowfall and icy winds due to plunging temperatures engulfing the province. Three people in Johannesburg perished in the fires due to unsafe heating, turning the bitter weather into a deadly situation. Johannesburg's Emergency Management Services (EMS) spokesperson, Nana Radebe-Kgiba, told SABC NEWS that the deaths were connected to paraffin stoves and open-flame braziers. In just two months, Johannesburg has seen over 300 winter fire emergencies, and officials warn that the number could increase. The Weather Service has issued alerts for regions affected by the cold front. According to meteorologist Edward Engelbrecht, a low-pressure system is drawing sub-Antarctic air inland, making the colder weather worse. While urban areas, including Johannesburg, experience extreme frost and wind chill, mountainous regions are likely to experience snowfall. Several fires have broken out in Gauteng because of the cold weather. Most occurred in informal settlements where people use unsafe methods to heat their homes. Materials that catch fire easily and are unable to provide safe energy put communities at risk of death. At the same time, the cold front makes travelling dangerous all over South Africa. Officials are urging the nation to avoid nonessential travel and to put fire and road safety first. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news
