Enormous amounts of fossil fuel burned on behalf of climate researchers

Stuck at the South Pole | Ice Stories: Dispatches From Polar Scientists

Heavy machinery runs day and night to remove the snow that accumulates around camp. Walking between Summer Camp and the main station usually means dodging one or two of the large Caterpillars running around. There is a steady haze that hangs over the station from inversion layers…cold air pressing all the exhaust from the buildings and the machinery down towards the surface.



We are here at the beginning of the summer season, and so there is a constant influx of Herc (LC-130 aircraft, or Hercules) flights, so far since we have been here there have been at least 3 each day. It diminishes any sense of isolation you might otherwise have. The winter-over crew, on the other hand, are all leaving as this steady stream of newcomers arrives. They seem a little overwhelmed at times, having had the station all to themselves the last few cold, dark months. The station population is now 243 people.

Journey to the South Pole | Ice Stories: Dispatches From Polar Scientists

I started my trip early the morning of October 25, first driving to Boston from my home in Vermont, with my husband, Mike...

From Boston, I flew first to Newark, then on to Los Angeles, where I spent a couple of hours waiting for my flight to Auckland, New Zealand.