Antarctic peak gets a Stirling moniker

Stirling University is said to be one of the most beautiful campuses in the country. Its historic Airthrey estate has now been "twinned" with a mountain in what is said to be one of the most beautiful parts of Antarctica, an ice-free area between the polar plateau and the Ross ice shelf.

Mount Airthrey is now the official name for a 1,175m peak in the Transantarctic Mountains. The name was proposed by David Hopkins, Stirling's professor of environmental science, and New Zealand colleagues who carried out fieldwork earlier this year on the valley soil.

"For mapping purposes and navigation purposes, it's helpful to have names on things," Professor Hopkins said. "In Antarctica, because there's never been a permanent human population, it has started acquiring names only fairly recently."

The Airthrey name stemmed from the international collaboration of the research group. Mount Airthrey is one of many rarely climbed peaks in the area, Professor Hopkins said.