This week at AGU25, one of the world’s leading scientific conferences, new findings from the Mission Spiritus’ Antarctic expedition were formally shared with the global research community. The results, presented by Dr Cuizhu (Chloe) Ma, should give us all pause for thought.
AGU25 is the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union, bringing together tens of thousands of scientists from across Earth, environmental and planetary sciences. It is where critical discoveries are tested, challenged and advanced through rigorous peer engagement. Presenting work at AGU is widely recognised as a mark of scientific credibility and global relevance.
Using traditional spontaneous Raman and recently developed stimulated Raman scattering microscopy, our science partners at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and the Department of Chemistry at Columbia University have, for the first time, quantified the levels of both microplastics and nanoplastics in Antarctic snow. These particles were detected along a 1,150km transect from Hercules Inlet to the South Pole during our Mission Spiritus Antarctica expedition.
This is not simply another microplastics study. The particles identified are hundreds of times smaller. They are invisible to the naked eye, yet present in significant numbers. Their detection in Antarctic snow provides clear evidence that plastic fragments into ever smaller particles and are transported vast distances through the atmosphere, reaching one of the most remote environments on Earth.
Plastic pollution does not respect borders. It does not respect distance. And it does not spare wilderness. Even the most pristine places on the planet are now connected to human activity elsewhere.
Mission Spiritus exists to uncover and understand these hidden global connections. We design and deliver science-led expeditions to some of the world’s most remote locations, enabling the collection of high-quality Earth samples that would otherwise be impossible to obtain. Through close partnership with Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Columbia University, those samples are then analysed using world-leading techniques at the very limits of detection.
The work presented at AGU25 marks the beginning, not the end, of a long-term programme to map how plastic moves, transforms and persists across our planet. By combining exploration, rigorous science and collaboration, Mission Spiritus aims to help build the evidence base needed to inform understanding, policy and action.
Planning is already underway for our next expedition in 2026. If you would like to support Mission Spiritus or collaborate on future work, we would welcome the conversation. Please get in touch: info@missionspiritus.com
