S5 Ep10: Living and working in the polar desert

S5 Ep10: Living and working in the polar desert

From Iceworld by British Antarctic Survey

March 2, 2026 · 31 min · Season 5 · Episode 10

About this episode

This episode explores the experiences of researchers living and working in Antarctica's extreme conditions.

When you hear the word 'desert,' you might picture the sun beating down on an endless expanse of sand. But, in reality, the largest desert on Earth isn't hot and sandy at all… it's Antarctica. Now imagine being dropped into that desert of snow and calling it home for two and a half months. In this episode of Iceworld, Nadia is joined by Zelna Weich and Charlotte Phillips, two early-career researchers who have just returned from the Antarctic deep field. They discuss what life is like when -9°C counts as a ‘balmy’ day, showers simply aren't an option, and suddenly you’re spending every day with 12 colleagues. From dancing through night shifts to stay warm to digging three metres into the snow just to uncover buried equipment, it’s a life stripped back to the bare essentials - worlds away from the lives they have now returned to. --- Welcome to Antarctica. What's it like living and working in one of the most extreme environments in the world? From polar scientists to plumbers, ICEWORLD is a series of interviews with ordinary people who are doing extraordinary jobs in Antarctica. The team talk climate science, extreme living, expeditions and becoming a community. A podcast from…

People in this episode

Hosts: Nadia Frontier, Nadia

Guests: Zelna Weich, Charlotte Phillips

Topics covered

  • Antarctica
  • polar research
  • extreme environments
  • living conditions
  • scientific expeditions

Keywords

  • polar desert
  • climate science
  • community
  • night shifts
  • buried equipment

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Iceworld

Places: Earth, Antarctica, Antarctic

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