In the coming decades, Antarctica will face a range of challenges linked to transnational issues such as climate change, plastics pollution and geopolitical tension. Such challenges make it increasingly important for the Antarctic sector to ensure that there is broad public support for the ongoing political and environmental stewardship of the southern polar region. Initiatives such as the 2032–2033 International Polar Year offer a unique opportunity to enhance public knowledge of and investment in Antarctic research, but little is currently known about how well-suited the Antarctic sector is to the work of public engagement. In this paper, we present the results of an exploratory survey (n = 76) conducted in 2022–2023 to examine the Antarctic sector’s capacity to engage with the public. We find that, while public engagement work is certainly happening in the Antarctic sector, it is often ad hoc and under-resourced, and the skillset associated with engagement work is commonly undervalued. In order to capitalize on the opportunities presented by the next International Polar Year, we recommend that the organizations within the Antarctic sector collaborate on a joint public engagement strategy.

The Southern Ocean remains one of the most data-deficient ocean basins despite its crucial role in global climate regulation. This study uses racing sailboats from the Barcelona World Race (2010/2011 and 2014/2015) and the Vendée Globe Race (2020/2021) as vessels of opportunity to collect sea-surface temperature and salinity measurements, offering a unique dataset for assessing oceanographic variability in this remote region. We conducted an inter-annual analysis of surface temperature and salinity anomalies relative to ARMOR-3D reanalysis and World Ocean Atlas 2023 climatological datasets, identifying regional patterns of change and variability. The results reveal a warming trend and general freshening of the Southern Ocean surface over the last decade, with the highest anomalies observed in the Indian and Atlantic sectors, whereas the Pacific sector showed the lowest anomalies in absolute terms. Notably, El Niño-Southern Oscillation (La Niña) and Southern Annular Mode phases played a significant role in modulating these temperature and salinity anomalies. This study underscores the scientific value of non-research vessels in monitoring climate-driven changes in Antarctic and sub-Antarctic waters, highlighting their potential to complement traditional observation networks in data-sparse regions.

Volcanic monitoring in Antarctica provides dual benefits by facilitating the study of highly volcanically active yet underexplored regions and by serving as an essential tool for maintaining the safety of both national and international Antarctic bases. Deception Island, one of the most volcanically active areas on the Antarctic continent, is now equipped with an enhanced monitoring system, modernized by the Spanish National Geographic Institute (IGN), which assumed its management in September 2020, pursuant to a protocol established between the Spanish Ministry of Transport, Mobility, and Urban Agenda and Ministry of Science and Innovation. In order to meet the challenging conditions of the polar region, six permanent stainless-steel shelters have been installed over the course of the last four Spanish Antarctic campaigns. Each shelter is outfitted with batteries, solar panels, Wi-Fi and data acquisition systems for seismic and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) stations. This monitoring network also comprises a station dedicated to measuring temperature within a thermal located where there is the anomaly on the island, a visual surveillance camera, seven seismic stations and six GNSS stations. All data collected are transmitted in real time to IGN headquarters in Madrid through Gabriel de Castilla Base, operated by the Spanish Army. Due to the growing volume of recorded data, it became necessary to upgrade transmission systems, leading to the installation of a next-generation satellite telemetry system during the 2023–2024 campaign. All seismic information is continuously and immediately analysed by the IGN’s National Seismic Network and is stored at the National Polar Data Center, housed within the Marine Technical Unit of the Spanish National Research Council, in accordance with the guidelines of the Spanish Polar Committee. The establishment of this infrastructure on Deception Island delivers a robust operational model that can be replicated in other polar settings, thereby contributing to the advancement of volcanic monitoring across the continent.

Antarctica, which has always been of great interest to researchers worldwide, is currently attracting considerable attention owing to climate change and other topics. In this context, bibliometric analysis allows the identification of hot topics, scientific productivity, cooperation, research gaps and strategic areas of potential interest. We conducted a bibliometric study to evaluate the global production of Antarctic research between 1980 and 2023 and analysed Spanish National Antarctic Programme (NAP) production as a case study. Scientific publications were reviewed and classified based on their main themes, key word co-occurrence and international collaborations. We found that scientific production worldwide and in the Spanish NAP has progressively increased since 1980. Globally, the main areas of research are the geosciences, oceanography and atmospheric sciences. However, the Spanish NAP, which reported 2287 publications, has focused more on the geosciences and ecology. Spanish Antarctic researchers have mainly collaborated with researchers from the USA, the UK, Germany and Italy. Our research highlights the importance of strengthening research plans to diversify and facilitate international collaboration, promoting a more interdisciplinary approach to address the current and future challenges identified by the scientific community. In this context, specific opportunities for developing a Spanish NAP strategic plan are discussed.

This article explores the evolution of US policy on Antarctica, focusing on its legal, environmental and geopolitical aspects. It aims to identify changing US priorities in this regard. The Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) governs the region, emphasizing peace, scientific cooperation and environmental protection. The USA has issued four major memoranda on Antarctica in 1982, 1994, 2020 and 2024. This article highlights growing geopolitical competition, particularly with China and Russia. China frames Antarctica as essential to its global rise, using dual-purpose technologies that blur the line between science and strategic military interests. Similarly, Russia’s activities in the region raise concerns about potential violations of the ATS’s peaceful purpose mandate. The USA maintains its leadership in Antarctic diplomacy, advocating for environmental preservation and scientific cooperation. This article concludes by emphasizing the need for international collaboration to address climate change, resource exploitation and rising strategic tensions, ensuring Antarctica remains a region dedicated to peace and science.

Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems, covering less than 1% of the continent, are under increasing anthropogenic threats, particularly from climate change and tourism. This study focuses on the impact of human trampling on soil microbial communities in Barrientos Island (South Shetlands archipelago), a frequently visited location. Soil samples were collected within and at the edge of two established paths representing varying levels of human disturbance. Physical and chemical analyses revealed significant differences between the paths, potentially creating anaerobic conditions favorable for specific microbial taxa. Thus, microbial communities also differed between the paths. Aerobic heterotrophic taxa were dominant in the less disturbed path, while anaerobic taxa such as Bacteroidetes vadinHA17 thrived in the more compacted path. Although alpha diversity indices did not differ, beta diversity analyses showed notable distinctions, particularly between the paths rather than trampled and untrampled areas. These findings suggest that microbial communities may recover following the stop of human activity, but also that indigenous microbial communities or other overlooked factors may be influencing the recovery potential. This study thus offers a starting point for similar research, as it highlights the need for further investigation to determine whether human trampling or other environmental factors are primarily responsible for these differences.