May
04
2016
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The Southern Ocean's Carbon Sink Stronger than Ever
The waters around Antarctica seem to have reversed a troubling trend. Bucking predictions, observations now show that the Southern Ocean is pulling more carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere than ever recorded, which could have implications for predicting the rate of climate change.
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Apr
28
2016
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The Aesthetics of Antarctic Architecture
The current aesthetics of McMurdo station and its field camps are not likely to go down in history as great achievements of modern architecture. But for photographer Shaun O'Boyle, this weathered, utilitarian look was a part of what attracted him to Antarctica.
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Apr
12
2016
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Getting to the Bottom of SPICECORE
The South Pole Ice Core project, known more succinctly as SPICECORE, wrapped up its two-year drilling effort at the South Pole in late January, having exceeded even their most ambitious goals. Researchers collected ice samples from 1,751 meters (5,744 feet) below the surface, more than 200 meters (656 feet) deeper than their original target.
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Apr
04
2016
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The Stuff Between the Stars
Four years ago, scientists set up the High Elevation Antarctic Terahertz (HEAT) telescope in the middle of the high Antarctic plateau, more than 500 miles from the South Pole. The harsh environment and unique atmospheric conditions here make it one of the best places on Earth to study the cosmos.
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Mar
24
2016
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The Dissolving Sentinels of the Southern Ocean
Scientists are increasingly finding sea snails with abrasions all over their tiny spiral shells, but these scuffs aren't just wear and tear. They're ominous signs that a foundational link in the Southern Ocean's food chain could be facing an existential crisis in waters that are becoming increasingly acidic.
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Mar
10
2016
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Giving Mount Erebus a CAT Scan
An international collaboration of scientists is using electromagnetic emissions from lightning strikes and solar wind to map the inner workings of Antarctica's Mount Erebus, the world's southernmost active volcano. The research, led by scientists from New Zealand and the United States, will yield the clearest picture yet of the volcano's interior.
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Mar
02
2016
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As Residents Depart, Winter Arrives
Operations at McMurdo Station and the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station have transitioned into winter mode as the residents prepare for nearly four months of total darkness. The last flight of the season left the South Pole on February 16 and the last regular flight out of McMurdo left on March 2.
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Feb
24
2016
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An Airborne Look Through the Ice
Though researchers at McMurdo Station have been studying the Ross Ice Shelf for decades, the seafloor beneath it largely remains a mystery. Scientists with the ROSETTA mapping project are working to fill in one of the largest remaining blank spots on ocean charts.
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Feb
09
2016
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A New Home for an Old Experiment
The longest running experiment at McMurdo is leaving the station, but it's not moving too far away, Antarctically speaking. The CosRay experiment, which has been recording changes in the stream of cosmic rays striking Earth since 1960, is relocating to the new South Korean station, Jang Bogo, about 230 miles away.
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Feb
02
2016
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Icestock Rings in the New Year
Brisk winds blew through a bundled-up crowd, as they collectively bobbed their heads and swayed along to live music. The musicians played below large blue cutout letters that spelled out "ICESTOCK," McMurdo Station's annual New Year's celebration and the world's southernmost outdoor music festival.
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Jan
25
2016
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Safety Rodeo Roundup
It was no ordinary heavy equipment safety lecture. On a windy Sunday afternoon, a crowd of McMurdo residents gathered at the at the cargo storage area above town to watch McMurdo Station's first annual "Safety Rodeo." Two teams from Fleet Ops competed against each other, driving IT-28 Caterpillar loaders through an obstacle course while a crowd sitting in the grandstands cheered them on.
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Jan
10
2016
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Yoga in McMurdo
On any given day, residents around McMurdo Station might be found doing the cobra pose, sun salutation or downward dog. These are all poses used in yoga, which has become one of the station's most popular after-hours recreational activities.
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Scientists Recover an Abundance of Fossils and Geologic Data from Antarctica
Keeping Scientists AWARE of the West Antarctic Climate
