August 9, 2011
This eerie picture was taken from a webcam in Antarctica. It looks like a sci-fi base but it is a real research base, Neumayer Station. Here is the summary from
http://www.antarcticconnection.com/antarctic/stations/neumayer.shtml
Nationality: Germany
Location: Ekström Shelf Ice, Atka Bay, northeast Weddell Sea
Position: 70°39’S, 08°15’W
History: The first “Georg von Neumayer” Station in the Antarctic was established in 1981 on the Ekström Shelf Ice as a research observatory for geophysical, meteorological and air chemistry measurements, as well as a logistics base for summer expeditions. Georg von Neumayer, whom the station is named after, was an important promoter of Germany’s research activities in Antarctica. The new station, inaugurated on February 20th, 2009, was built to modern standards and with state-of-the-art technology, will enable the continuation of long-term measurements by the scientific observatories for meteorology, geophysics and atmospheric chemistry, as well as the establishment of new research projects.
Information: The snow-covered Neumayer Station is located on shelf ice that is 650′ (200m) thick and almost completely flat. All that can be seen from the distance are the towers of the station entrance, which project 6-7′ over the snow. The shelf ice margin, where supply ships moor, is 6 miles (10k) away. The station consists of two parallel steel tubes, each of which is 26′ (8m) in diameter and around 300′ (90m) long, in which containers are inserted to accommodate living quarters, kitchen, mess, hospital, various laboratories, workshops, radio operator’s room, sanitary facilities, two power supply stations and a snow melting plant.
Science: A research observatory for geophysical, meteorological and air chemistry measurements as well as atmospheric ozone monitoring.
Mr. Blog's Tepid Ride 
The first picture reminds me of Aliens!
Because Antarctica is the next closest land mass after Australia we have a lot of people who go down to work at these stations as cooks, mechanics, etc. They always have fascinating stories, all of which convince me I’m happy just to look at the pictures.
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The only things I know about life in Antarctica come from the Shakleton Expedition, and this didn’t go so well. I also saw an episiode of Pawn Stars where somene tried to sell an ATM reciept from Antarctica, the world’s southernmost ATM.
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You should check out Alone by Richard Byrd–a really good book describing his attempt to spend a winter in a shed at the south pole.
ATM in Antarctica? Do they really have one? What is there to buy? And in what currency?
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I just added it to my wishlist. It sounds right up my alley.
The ATM is at a grocery store/restaurant/canteen that services all those guys from your neck of the woods that go down as cooks, etc. I am not sure but I think the ATM dispensed dollars.
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Isn’t that the expedition where several members died, they were buried, & a archeological expedition exhumed the bodies, found them almost perfectly preserved due to a combination of extreme cold, & arsenic & / or lead in the food due to improper canning ?
To the Wikipedia !! 😉
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More or less…
If you read South, the book by Shakleton (rather than the books about Shakleton) you get an amazing portrait of the British stiff upper lip. He doesn’t leave anything out, but some horrendus things are just so matter-of-fact in their presentation.
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Nope –
I was thinking about the Franklin Expedition & Beechy Island. I saw a documentary about it on the National Geographic Channel when they used to run it on TBS back in the day.
I’ll have to make a note about the book.
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“Franklin Expedition & Beechy Island.” I’ve seen references to it (IIRC) but really know nothing about it.
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They’re in Wikipedia. The documentary was sometime in the late 80’s – early 90’s onTBS. They found the gravesites & preserved remains of 3 ( ? ) of the crew back then. I recorded the program on VHS, which is now nearly as defunct as the expedition.
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The photo of the station at night with the light looks very much like a spaceship w / landing gear extended, etc. Otherworldly !
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That’s what caught my eye! I didn’t think it was real, at first I thought is was from a movie.
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This was after John Carpenter’s famous movie set in Antarctica, ” The Thing “. They also have plans to put a training facility for future missions to the Moon & Mars there, if there isn’t one already.
A perfect hunting ground for meteors & meteorites, since the Antarctic environment can preserve such things in a pristine state.
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And also since the ground is almost uniformly white it is easy to spot space rocks on the surface. You know they are remaking “The Thing”? I think they are calling it a prequel but it looks like the same film.
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Antarctica is probably the closest thing to a barren alien planet that exists on Earth. It’s not the kind of place to raise your kids – In fact it’s cold as Hell. 😉
Another remake….. Proof that the entertainment industry is pretty much fresh out of originality.
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I love the reference even though I hate that song.
As for the remake, part is the extreme lack of originality in Hollywood but part of it is that remakes and prequels are safe. It has a built in fanbase, doesn’t require as much marketing to explain it to the audience, and has a built in curiosity fasctor. For example, Rise of the Planet of the Apes needs no explanation, but an original film is a harder sell.
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It just seemed like a natural reference.
I know, but I get the feeling that originality in Hollywood is gone, that the studios feel that everything has been done already. Hmmm – ” Taming of the Shrew ” with a Predator & an Alien ? 😉
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Originality in Hollywood is about 80% dead, I’d say.
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At least. I blame it on ” recreational ” drug use.
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That would be a cool place to check out, no pun intended!
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