Latest news with #Dennis"Tink"Bell
GMA Network
11 hours ago
- Science
- GMA Network
UK scientist's remains found on Antarctic glacier 66 years on
LONDON, United Kingdom - The remains of a British meteorologist who died in an Antarctic expedition in 1959 have been recovered six decades later from a glacier, the British Antarctic Survey said Monday. They were identified by DNA-testing as those of Dennis "Tink" Bell, who died aged 25 when he was working for the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey, which became the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), the UK's polar research institute. Bell died on Admiralty Bay on King George Island, located 120 kilometers (75 miles) off the coast of Antarctica on July 26, 1959. He was stationed on the island for a two-year assignment at a small UK research base. Bell and three other men had set out to climb and survey a glacier, when he fell through a crevasse — a deep chasm in the ice. His body was never recovered. The remains, which were exposed by a receding glacier, were found on January 19 by a team from the Henryk Arctowski Polish Antarctic Station. "This discovery brings closure to a decades-long mystery and reminds us of the human stories embedded in the history of Antarctic science," said BAS director Jane Francis. The bone fragments were carried to the Falkland Islands by the BAS Royal Research Ship Sir David Attenborough, and then brought to London for DNA testing. Alongside his remains, the Polish team also found over 200 personal items including radio equipment, a flashlight, ski poles, an inscribed wristwatch and a Swedish-brand knife. Bell's brother David Bell, who lives in Australia, said the discovery after 66 years left him and his sister "shocked and amazed". "Dennis was the oldest of three siblings and was my hero as he seemed to be able to turn his hand to anything," said his brother. Francis said the confirmation of the remains "is both a poignant and profound moment for all of us at British Antarctic Survey". Bell "was one of the many brave ... personnel who contributed to the early science and exploration of Antarctica under extraordinarily harsh conditions," she added. —Agence France-Presse
USA Today
15 hours ago
- Science
- USA Today
Receding Antarctic glacier reveals body of researcher who died in 1959
A receding glacier in Antarctica has revealed the remains of a researcher who died nearly seven decades ago. A Polish team found the body of Dennis "Tink" Bell among rocks that were exposed by the receding glacier, according to the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). Bell, a 25-year-old meteorologist who was working for BAS' predecessor — the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey — was identified by DNA, the organization said. Bell died on July 26, 1959 in a crevasse on the glacier at Admiralty Bay on King George Island, off the Antarctic Peninsula, BAS reported in a news release. Meet Petunia: Winner of the 2025 'World's Ugliest Dog' contest is crowned Researcher's body found with inscribed wristwatch, ski poles According to the release, teams found more than 200 items belonging to the researcher, including radio equipment, a flashlight, ski poles, an inscribed Erguel wristwatch, a Swedish Mora knife and an ebonite pipe stem. 'When my sister Valerie and I were notified that our brother Dennis had been found after 66 years we were shocked and amazed.... Bringing him home have helped us come to terms with the tragic loss of our brilliant brother," David Bell, the researcher's sibling told BAS. The remains were transported to the Falkland Islands on the BAS Royal Research Ship, the release described, where they were lated identified using DNA testing. Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@ and follow her on X @nataliealund.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
UK scientist's remains found on Antarctic glacier 66 years on
The remains of a British meteorologist who died in an Antarctic expedition in 1959 have been recovered six decades later from a glacier, the British Antarctic Survey said Monday. They were identified by DNA-testing as those of Dennis "Tink" Bell, who died aged 25 when he was working for the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey, which became the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), the UK's polar research institute. Bell died on Admiralty Bay on King George Island, located 120 kilometres (75 miles) off the coast of Antarctica on July 26, 1959. He was stationed on the island for a two-year assignment at a small UK research base. Bell and three other men had set out to climb and survey a glacier, when he fell through a crevasse -- a deep chasm in the ice. His body was never recovered. The remains, which were exposed by a receding glacier, were found on January 19 by a team from the Henryk Arctowski Polish Antarctic Station. "This discovery brings closure to a decades-long mystery and reminds us of the human stories embedded in the history of Antarctic science," said BAS director Jane Francis. The bone fragments were carried to the Falkland Islands by the BAS Royal Research Ship Sir David Attenborough, and then brought to London for DNA testing. Alongside his remains, the Polish team also found over 200 personal items including radio equipment, a flashlight, ski poles, an inscribed wristwatch and a Swedish-brand knife. Bell's brother David Bell, who lives in Australia, said the discovery after 66 years left him and his sister "shocked and amazed". "Dennis was the oldest of three siblings and was my hero as he seemed to be able to turn his hand to anything," said his brother. Francis said the confirmation of the remains "is both a poignant and profound moment for all of us at British Antarctic Survey". Bell "was one of the many brave ... personnel who contributed to the early science and exploration of Antarctica under extraordinarily harsh conditions," she added. aks/jkb/tw
