SOUTH POLE STATION, ANTARCTICA– Let it begin! Another concerted effort today to get the train packed up. We will have an open house this evening for our fellow residents of the South Pole, and so we are also trying to clean up a little bit...

SOUTH POLE STATION, ANTARCTICA-- On December 16, I flew to the South Pole. To get to the pole, we fly on specially outfitted LC-130 Hercules cargo planes which are operated by the New York Air National Guard. These planes have skis on them so they can land on the ice runway...

CAPE ROYDS, ANTARCTICA-- I’m sure Inuits have a name for it, but otherwise it’s the fizzing sound as great expanses of ice dissolve so rapidly that any air still between its spaces or molecules is released into the atmosphere. We heard that sound...

MCMURDO STATION, ANTARCTICA-- (By Ron Hipschman) Why do the hands on clocks go "clockwise?" Seems like a circular definition, but if you looked closely at sundials in the northern hemisphere, you'd notice that the shadow of the sun moves around the sundial...

SOUTH POLE STATION, ANTARCTICA-- Before I left McMurdo, I got a tour of the pressure ridges near Scott Base (the New Zealand station very close to McMurdo). The pressure ridges are formed by tidal forces...

OFFSHORE NEW HARBOR CAMP, ANTARCTICA-- You might be surprised to know that water is one of the most scarce resources in Antarctica. It makes Antarctic camping very difficult...

MCMURDO STATION, ANTARCTICA-- (By Ron Hipschman) Black Island acts as the communication center for Antarctica. All Radio (HF and VHF), data (internet) and TV goes through this island before reaching the main U.S. base, McMurdo Station...

LAKE HOARE, DRY VALLEYS, ANTARCTICA– After spending time at the South Pole, flying to Cape Royds and Black Island, and otherwise keeping ourselves busy with webcasts and scientist interviews in McMurdo, Lisa and I hopped on a helicopter out to the Dry Valleys for a couple of days of hiking and camping in the coldest, driest desert on Earth...

AGAP-SOUTH CAMP, ANTARCTICA-- There are finally planes in the airspace of AGAP-South! We flew our first survey lines during the transit of scientists from Pole to our main camp. With the first flight, came the first observation of...

SOUTH POLE STATION, ANTARCTICA-- On December 12/13, I did the Antarctic survival training course, also called "Happy Camper." This course is a prerequisite for going off-base on unguided tours...