Climate & Environment
Robot sailboats study the ocean around Antarctica
A sailboat with no people on board left Australia in September 2026. It measures the sea around Antarctica, even in winter.
Some sailboats have no people on board. They are robot sailboats that help scientists. In September 2026, the first of four boats left Hobart, in Australia. It began a long trip around Antarctica.
The boat uses the wind to sail. The Sun gives power to its tools. They measure the wind, the air and the sea. They also measure a gas called carbon dioxide. The boat sends its numbers to scientists while it sails.
Word in this story
measureverb
To find out the size, amount or speed of something, often with a tool.
The tools on the boat measure the wind and the sea.