Blueshift - January 19, 2010: Science at the End of the Earth, Part II

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.