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Podcast: Science at the End of the Earth, Part II

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Transcript (Text, PDF)

A remote research outpost like McMurdo Station in Antarctica draws many different kinds of people – scientists, engineers, writers, artists, and more.  The station provides many of the comforts of home, and it’s difficult to get bored with the opportunities presented during a visit.  Whether it’s learning to drive the special ice-friendly vehicles or participating in a chili cook-off, visitors often find themselves embarking on adventures and picking up unusual skills outside the scope of their own area of expertise.

In our last episode, we  interviewed Dr. John Mitchell about scientific ballooning in Antarctica and his experiences launching his experiment, BESS, in 2004 and 2007.  But what’s it like to spend a summer on the southernmost continent?  In the second part of this interview, Dr. Mitchell tells us about the unique experiences he’s had at McMurdo during his visits.

Part I of “Science at the End of the Earth”

Life at McMurdo Station

Getting to McMurdo is a serious undertaking… but adventure awaits! Many visitors have documented the experience, and we’ve picked some of our favorite links about the station and what it’s like to work in Antarctica.


    Credits:

    Host Maggie Masetti
    Guests John Mitchell
    Interviewer Sara Mitchell
    Editor Sara Mitchell
    Theme Music Naked Singularity
    Transcript Eric Winter
    Website Support Meredith Gibb
    Maggie Masetti
    Producer Sara Mitchell
    Responsible NASA Official Kim Weaver

    2 Comments

    • CarlaMobile says:

      Great MP3, looks a breathtaking place and sounds super, keep up the research.

    • License Plate Lookup says:

      Even though it’s summer in Antarctica, it’s still blistering cold and maneuvering around can be painful at times. Nevertheless, I think I’d like to experience it just once…

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