How Living at the South Pole Works

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  • Опубліковано 18 лис 2020
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    Writing by Sam Denby
    Research by Sam Denby and Tristan Purdy
    Editing by Alexander Williard
    Animation by Josh Sherrington
    Sound by Graham Haerther
    Thumbnail by Simon Buckmaster
    Select footage courtesy the AP Archive
    References:
    [1] www.coolantarctica.com/Bases/...
    [2] www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.js...
    [3] www.usap.gov/technology/docum...
    [4] www.usap.gov/technology/1972/
    [5] www.waste360.com/recycling/sa...
    [6] www.washingtonpost.com/world/...
    [7] beta.nsf.gov/science-matters/...
    Musicbed SyncID:
    MB016CDZARECXZR

КОМЕНТАРІ • 2,5 тис.

  • @adamdickinson2894
    @adamdickinson2894 3 роки тому +3259

    What I really like about Wendover is there's no clickbait: the title's just a summary of the video topic and then he goes on and explains that topic in an understandable, engaging, detailed way. He lets the video do the talking, not the title

    • @omarbrown4222
      @omarbrown4222 3 роки тому +24

      @@akauf2282 Both channels are from the same guy

    • @ireallyhatemakingupnamesfo1758
      @ireallyhatemakingupnamesfo1758 3 роки тому +107

      @@akauf2282 there’s no way, Mr. Wendover is a well respected member of the UA-cam educational community, James Halfasinteresting is just some buzzfeed style hack with a good mic and terrible writing

    • @shirlintan2791
      @shirlintan2791 3 роки тому +11

      @@akauf2282 Both are run by the same guy, Sam Denby or something.

    • @harshul9530
      @harshul9530 3 роки тому +6

      @@akauf2282 stop judging if you don't wanna watch him then don't hai is a whole different channel which comes with interesting and unique topics it's his style let him do it if you like it support if no don't spread hate just watch something else

    • @serenissimarespublicavenet3945
      @serenissimarespublicavenet3945 3 роки тому +78

      I'm seriously concerned there are several people in this conversation who don't have any sense of humour.

  • @benjbk
    @benjbk 3 роки тому +1401

    "Should we get rid of the snow?"
    "Nah, just lift up the house."

    • @theshuman100
      @theshuman100 2 роки тому +17

      considering they use ice cores as timecapsules into the environment itd make sense theyd want it to build up

    • @dogeboibeflying6244
      @dogeboibeflying6244 2 роки тому +4

      @@theshuman100 e

    • @mastershooter64
      @mastershooter64 Рік тому +3

      @@dogeboibeflying6244 e

    • @ksc5522
      @ksc5522 Рік тому +1

      @@theshuman100 Yet global warming is melting it all....lol

    • @theshuman100
      @theshuman100 Рік тому +1

      @@ksc5522 well at least the house wouldnt be so high up now

  • @FriendlyBaron
    @FriendlyBaron 3 роки тому +1610

    My grandpa was part of the team that was there in the 1950s originally. I had some of the clothes he wore restored recently - they are so warm that even in winter here, I still sweat in them.

    • @iSyriux
      @iSyriux 3 роки тому +29

      Verifed

    • @mixtapeo7
      @mixtapeo7 3 роки тому +15

      wow! friendly baron here

    • @tomascanevaro4292
      @tomascanevaro4292 3 роки тому +10

      Holy shit baron, didn't know about that.

    • @applemauzel
      @applemauzel 3 роки тому +24

      Nowadays, you can just buy the same coats from the Antarctica down jacket provider we commonly call Canada Goose... although they are nowadays filthy expensive.

    • @robertandrews6915
      @robertandrews6915 3 роки тому +14

      My dad was stationed in North Dakota and I remember as a kid I liked putting on the jacket and gloves and hat. While probably not as extreme as your grandpas clothes they do make you so hot if it's not that cold

  • @jamestarragano2156
    @jamestarragano2156 3 роки тому +91

    I was a South Pole winter-over from Nov 2015 - Nov 2016. I was one of the weather observers that helped the plane land in the middle of the dark. From the time we called for the Med evac to the time the plan landed at pole was about a 10 day period.

    • @ankita05051991
      @ankita05051991 4 місяці тому +2

      Wow ❤

    • @piiinkDeluxe
      @piiinkDeluxe 3 місяці тому

      What was your daily job there?

    • @jlm3303
      @jlm3303 Місяць тому +1

      I was also there 15 -16 season
      . I was supposed to W/O but had my season cut short due to concern over a recent back surgery. Alex replaced me and was half the reason for the winter evacuation of Susan... I know Barry also had a problem and I know much more than I should be comfortable posting here. Hello James (Oregano) It's Jeremy. (Carpenter)... Hope you and your family are doing well!! Best wishes.

  • @yoavhofstein3658
    @yoavhofstein3658 3 роки тому +3174

    Technically, Antarctica is the smartest continent

    • @premeplug5810
      @premeplug5810 3 роки тому +233

      As someone who personally has two friends who did a winter at McMurdo station, I can confirm they did it just for fun and not that they were scientists

    • @beback_
      @beback_ 3 роки тому +69

      They're smartest individually, but not as much innovation comes out of there since there's so few of them.

    • @VeryProPlayerYesSir1122
      @VeryProPlayerYesSir1122 3 роки тому +44

      How can I colonize Antarctica to build a nation there?

    • @isuckatthisgame
      @isuckatthisgame 3 роки тому +6

      Been there; agreed.

    • @TheLocara
      @TheLocara 3 роки тому +4

      *statistically

  • @ojussinghal2501
    @ojussinghal2501 3 роки тому +3302

    Wendover in 2030: *The logistics of transportation on Mars.*

    • @yaphongjie8551
      @yaphongjie8551 3 роки тому +23

      provided we ever did reach mars

    • @markhenley3097
      @markhenley3097 3 роки тому +53

      We have to build a moon base before we can really move about on Mars. It's too far away and only is near to the Earth every two years.

    • @aabbccddeeffgghhiijjkkllmm4357
      @aabbccddeeffgghhiijjkkllmm4357 3 роки тому +3

      hopefully by then

    • @yaphongjie8551
      @yaphongjie8551 3 роки тому +1

      so likely until the next generation will we even be close to true interstellar travel

    • @DisdainusMaximus
      @DisdainusMaximus 3 роки тому +25

      Wendover in 2030: The logistics of commercial airline flights on Mars.

  • @xXRedTheDragonXx
    @xXRedTheDragonXx Рік тому +12

    Another note on communications at the South Pole: They have some amateur radio equipment that works around the clock for sending basic communications, or in emergencies. It's possible for researchers to send very rudimentary text communications using email, and if there's free time, occasionally someone will jump on and start talking. My university has received some of their communications in the past when conditions were just right. I don't think they rely on amateur radio much anymore, but it's still possible to sometimes make contact!

  • @pricsusgaming1713
    @pricsusgaming1713 Рік тому +3

    Im spending 8 months at the south pole for a work contract starting January 19th 2023 so this was great to watch

  • @tekuaniaakab2050
    @tekuaniaakab2050 3 роки тому +801

    Extreme isolation, near permanent darkness, completely frozen.
    Sounds like a nice place

    • @thecrippledpancake9455
      @thecrippledpancake9455 3 роки тому +60

      Also, in the summer it is very very bright! Eye protection is crucial

    • @Tshonti
      @Tshonti 3 роки тому +28

      9/10, has a little something for everyone

    • @Anon-md5ep
      @Anon-md5ep 3 роки тому +13

      Nope. The South Pole isn’t frozen enough. 2/10.

    • @serl3zykn1ght71
      @serl3zykn1ght71 3 роки тому +18

      Sounds like paradise

    • @davidty2006
      @davidty2006 3 роки тому +17

      For introverts sounds perfect. Alot of downtime to game.

  • @jonasdatlas4668
    @jonasdatlas4668 3 роки тому +5877

    I have a weird interest in the logistics of people living in absurdly remote locations, so thanks for fueling this weird hobby of mine.

    • @Hemomancer
      @Hemomancer 3 роки тому +232

      There are dozens of us!

    • @robertmorrison1657
      @robertmorrison1657 3 роки тому +137

      Welcome to the squad dude.

    • @shirlintan2791
      @shirlintan2791 3 роки тому +42

      me too.

    • @augustine868
      @augustine868 3 роки тому +77

      I just like random facts so this is still a good help for my quest to know the most random things

    • @robertmorrison1657
      @robertmorrison1657 3 роки тому +77

      @@augustine868 The pursuit of esoteric knowledge is a very nice path. Plus, it makes you seem pretty smart in dinner conversations.

  • @FusRoDah2
    @FusRoDah2 3 роки тому +14

    That's one of the reasons I love The Thing from 1982, the sense of isolation and helplessness is unrivaled because of where they are.

    • @godsbeautifulflatearth
      @godsbeautifulflatearth 2 роки тому

      By the time the pizza delivery guy shows up, the pizza is cold... 😒

  • @keithritala5192
    @keithritala5192 3 роки тому +17

    I wintered over at the original South Pole station 1971-72. Very primitive conditions compared to the luxury the current crew now has. Nevertheless, the weather and remoteness make it a very inhospitable place.

  • @science.and.beyond
    @science.and.beyond 3 роки тому +608

    Really cool that we basically have a small town in the middle of the most inhospitable continent on Earth

    • @philipwebb960
      @philipwebb960 3 роки тому +37

      But not worse than Detroit.

    • @creamydistortion
      @creamydistortion 3 роки тому +8

      @@philipwebb960 Antarctica doesn't have an equivalent to Eminem and D12 either... :-(

    • @BasilMinhas
      @BasilMinhas 3 роки тому +8

      There are around 50 of these small towns across different parts of Antarctica 🇦🇶

    • @VeryProPlayerYesSir1122
      @VeryProPlayerYesSir1122 3 роки тому +1

      How can I colonize Antarctica to build a nation there?

    • @chrispham8705
      @chrispham8705 3 роки тому +1

      Wendover in 2030: The logistics of transportation on Mars.

  • @joshuasalem5022
    @joshuasalem5022 3 роки тому +2622

    These South Pole scientists are so isolated and live in such harsh conditions, they deserve the same respect as astronauts on the ISS

    • @TheConspiracyZero
      @TheConspiracyZero 3 роки тому +272

      the south pole is far more isolated than the iss

    • @jana31415
      @jana31415 3 роки тому +8

      I would pay for that.

    • @akshayjag117
      @akshayjag117 3 роки тому +11

      @old one why is that

    • @justananonymousperson7011
      @justananonymousperson7011 3 роки тому +46

      They are effectively living on another planet

    • @yucol5661
      @yucol5661 3 роки тому +13

      @old one yeah, i wouldn’t say that astronauts get any especial respect. Maybe the ones that become politicians after and use being an astronaut as a platform?

  • @zzanatos2001
    @zzanatos2001 3 роки тому +60

    I considered working at the South Pole as a logistics manager when I retired from the military. Living conditions are probably very similar to what the first settlers on Mars will face.

    • @alanlight7740
      @alanlight7740 3 роки тому +18

      A good deal easier than Mars. Plenty of fresh air and lots of fresh water (after it's melted). But there are some similarities.

    • @godsbeautifulflatearth
      @godsbeautifulflatearth 2 роки тому +5

      No one will ever go to Mars or the Moon.

    • @BrazilianImperialist
      @BrazilianImperialist 2 роки тому +1

      @@godsbeautifulflatearth Agreed, but your username is dumb

    • @brokentortilla
      @brokentortilla 2 роки тому +1

      @@godsbeautifulflatearth whatever flat erather your brain is probably flat too since you wrote this comment

    • @sylvy16
      @sylvy16 Рік тому

      @@godsbeautifulflatearth i don’t know about ever but probably not in my lifetime

  • @JD-cv7kx
    @JD-cv7kx Місяць тому +1

    Having been one of the physicians that worked at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station - this is a very good introduction to what life is like there. Thanks for producing such an informative video.

  • @dibenp
    @dibenp 3 роки тому +267

    2:20 I love how a video about living in Antarctica still references the aerodynamics of plane wing. ✈️ ❤️

    • @gregoryvasilyev9675
      @gregoryvasilyev9675 3 роки тому +30

      As is mandatory for this channel.

    • @faseiolasec9770
      @faseiolasec9770 3 роки тому +1

      I have a weird interest in the logistics of people living in absurdly remote locations, so thanks for fueling this weird hobby of mine.

    • @Think_Inc
      @Think_Inc 3 роки тому +8

      @@faseiolasec9770 copy cat!

    • @shanezhang8277
      @shanezhang8277 2 роки тому

      @@faseiolasec9770 yea u copied

    • @shanezhang8277
      @shanezhang8277 2 роки тому

      Or maybe they copied

  • @HeroDark98
    @HeroDark98 3 роки тому +832

    Who knew the long night at the South Pole is 6 months longer than the Long Night in GoT...

    • @ellispiper6313
      @ellispiper6313 3 роки тому +43

      fuck game of thrones season 8, but also want to add that it's only fully dark for about 3-4 months. The sun does go down for 6 months, but a majority of that time the continent is in twilight, although the darkest Twilight(Astronomical) is pretty close to full darkness.

    • @yucol5661
      @yucol5661 3 роки тому +13

      Ha! I just realized that GoT ended before winter really got terrible. If the show went like the books then right after Westeros was destroyed by war an at least decade long winter is supposed to take place. Since they had an abnormally long summer before the show began. Let’s hope the books are good enough to warrant a remake of the show

    • @grahamturner2640
      @grahamturner2640 3 роки тому +1

      🤣

    • @teobiquir1815
      @teobiquir1815 3 роки тому

      Winter started in like season 7 right?

    • @Luke..luke..luke..
      @Luke..luke..luke.. 3 роки тому

      Same as the north pole 🤦🏻‍♂️

  • @ianbaltutis454
    @ianbaltutis454 3 роки тому +26

    Great video, my sister will be part of the 2020-2021 overwinter crew at Amundsen-Scott. You did a good job covering the COVID challenges. She had to spend many weeks at each stage of her trip in quarantine to get from facility to facility.

  • @howardkong8927
    @howardkong8927 3 роки тому +54

    "The building itself is shaped like an AIRPLANE WING"
    You got me there.

  • @jermizzey
    @jermizzey 3 роки тому +526

    Polar scientist here, was there in Jan./Feb. Really enjoyed the video! First of yours that I've seen, but you hit on some of the small details of the day-to-day that I haven't ever heard any other doc mention.
    COVID completely disrupted our planned instrument deployment this year. We were only able to get the 2021 winter-over down, no summer-only personnel at all. The first flight in - "station open" - was just this past Saturday (Sunday there - they use NZST), and he was on it, after leaving the US all the way back at the beginning of October. Quarantines in San Francisco, Christchurch, and McMurdo, and then the inevitable weather preventing the planes from flying from McMurdo->Pole (but that happens every year).

    • @largesizejellyfish3014
      @largesizejellyfish3014 3 роки тому +29

      Thank you for what you do. You are an inspiration to us all.

    • @KracklinDark
      @KracklinDark 3 роки тому +14

      Man you're cool.

    • @scottstacey7392
      @scottstacey7392 3 роки тому +6

      Crazy how during this whole pandemic the people in antarctica have been chilling in darkness

    • @a-a-rondavis9438
      @a-a-rondavis9438 3 роки тому +7

      It's stupid how the media and government basically updated y'all's routine and process over a simple virus. Covid is peanuts compared to anything else.

    • @darkproject3368
      @darkproject3368 3 роки тому

      @Halcon Serrano exactly

  • @robokast
    @robokast 3 роки тому +3173

    it’s all fun and games until the fire nation attacks you

    • @felineboy1586
      @felineboy1586 3 роки тому +61

      Don't worry I have hope in avatar he would restore the balance

    • @stylesrj
      @stylesrj 3 роки тому +51

      @@felineboy1586
      But first, he needs a little training.

    • @ruksanabasheer5448
      @ruksanabasheer5448 3 роки тому +11

      Antscanada?

    • @SealedFantasy
      @SealedFantasy 3 роки тому +2

      Haha

    • @joshreddy4278
      @joshreddy4278 3 роки тому +18

      The fire nation is the humans, their weapon? Climate Change

  • @MrPhymed
    @MrPhymed 3 роки тому +2

    Dude I have watched countless documentaries over the South Pole. Nine of them was as informative and educative as yours. What a talent! Please keep up the good work :)

  • @b9y
    @b9y 3 роки тому +1

    I'm so glad you did this! I've been wanting a South Pole video for ages after I fell in love with the idea of visiting. Now all I need is a degree in conservation, and hope.

  • @adamsiroky161
    @adamsiroky161 3 роки тому +356

    Antarctica is like another planet
    -Hard to get in/out
    -In some periods getting out is totaly impossible
    -nobody really know who owns that land
    -wierd day light cycle
    -Extreme cold and other conditions
    -Have to be self sufficient
    -Slow internet and communication

    • @aidenhuang7106
      @aidenhuang7106 3 роки тому +21

      @@JaylemagnifiqueGame That's debatable since he mentioned its average height from sea level is high enough for some people to get sick. But otherwise, yeah, you're right.

    • @KateeAngel
      @KateeAngel 3 роки тому +22

      It is still a tropical paradise compared to Mars or Moon

    • @_Killkor
      @_Killkor 3 роки тому +29

      @@KateeAngel Moon isn't frigid the same way Mars is. The average daytime surface temperature quickly reaches up to 120°C (250°F). Because of no atmosphere, everything exposed to the Sun quickly heats up, while everything in the shadow radiates all that heat very quickly. During the night temperature quickly falls down to -130°C (-208°F).
      Long story short:
      On Moon - During the day you get sunburned. During the night you freeze to death. So you get to experience two hells in one day :D

    • @SnailHatan
      @SnailHatan 2 роки тому +1

      No, you don’t have to be self-sufficient. If that were the case, there wouldn’t be massive ships of supplies going in and out all year.

    • @turbodarkle
      @turbodarkle 2 роки тому +1

      Which is why I feel that we, as a species aren't ready to migrate over to another planet or even the moon entirely since we've barely only colonized Antarctica. The difficulties of survival on Antarctica will be miniscule compared to another world.

  • @Wilderness-Will
    @Wilderness-Will 3 роки тому +531

    As a former Antarctican, this is remarkably accurate. Thank you for being one of the best UA-cam content creators.

    • @athirkell
      @athirkell 3 роки тому +100

      Reminds me of a joke told in the RAF:
      - How can you tell when a fighter pilot enters the room?
      - You don't need to, he'll tell you.

    • @carlosandleon
      @carlosandleon 3 роки тому +4

      Liar! the earth is flat! What are you hiding from us???

    • @TheNixie1972
      @TheNixie1972 3 роки тому +13

      @@carlosandleon LOL!

    • @Team3xtreme
      @Team3xtreme 3 роки тому +9

      Just out of curiosity, can you give us more info on day to day life?

    • @Avionicx
      @Avionicx 3 роки тому +6

      Hey, thats really cool! What was it like?

  • @matejcingalek6582
    @matejcingalek6582 3 роки тому +8

    I'm proud that we, Czech Republic, could help with the research and that we hlavě our polar stations too. And I see that it is about prestige too. :)

  •  3 роки тому +3

    friend of mine had his apppendix removed on the german science vessel 'polarstern' back in the 90's. He achieved a couple of firsts there: his first major surgery, the first major surgery performed by that doctor (not a surgeon) as well as in that brick... on his second turn, he bashed his head open and needed sutures, just for good matters.

  • @thawhiteazn
    @thawhiteazn 3 роки тому +980

    “The South Pole was not made for humans”
    Probably more accurate to say that humans were not made for the South Pole.

    • @fetchstixRHD
      @fetchstixRHD 3 роки тому +50

      Indeed, is anywhere really “made for humans” (or any animal) to begin with? I doubt that the South Pole thought “nah, I don’t like those humans” and was deliberately designed to be hostile, rather than humans lacking the ability to deal with the habitat.

    • @brandonwalker5011
      @brandonwalker5011 3 роки тому +26

      @@fetchstixRHD it's a figure of speech

    • @nikolai3847
      @nikolai3847 3 роки тому

      Exactly my thought

    • @ScootsMcDootson
      @ScootsMcDootson 3 роки тому +12

      @@fetchstixRHD Cities are made for Humans.

    • @DeSpaceFairy
      @DeSpaceFairy 3 роки тому +28

      @@ScootsMcDootson cities are made by humans, but by their scale and infrastructure, it can be argued they are more made for vehicles rather than humans.

  • @2ktc24
    @2ktc24 3 роки тому +465

    As someone who personally has two friends who did a winter at McMurdo station, I can confirm they did it just for fun and not that they were scientists

    • @RaidsEpicly
      @RaidsEpicly 3 роки тому +84

      Were they part of the upkeep/maintaining crew? What kind of stories did they have? I've heard there's a shocking amount of sex because there's nothing else to do a lot of the time, which gets very awkward in such a small population

    • @GodlikeIridium
      @GodlikeIridium 3 роки тому +52

      @@RaidsEpicly Wouldn't surprise me. Isolated for months, almost always inside, cold and no entertainment except computers.

    • @ArawnOfAnnwn
      @ArawnOfAnnwn 3 роки тому +122

      @@GodlikeIridium There's still plenty of entertainment options. Basically anything that's portable and can be run offline is okay, as well as some indoor games (like snooker or foosball tables). So books? Check. Movies? Check. (Offline) Games? Check. Hard drives full of tentacle porn? We don't judge. About the only thing you can't do is shoot some hoops outside.

    • @HairEEck
      @HairEEck 3 роки тому +14

      How did they manage to get selected to go therer and what was their jobs?

    • @timewave02012
      @timewave02012 3 роки тому +74

      One of my cousins went twice for summers. Most of the work he did was securing cargo. The weather was often better at McMurdo than where he was from in Wisconsin.

  • @-Raylight
    @-Raylight 3 роки тому +17

    Watching this video reminds me of anime called _"Sora yori mo Tooi Basho" (A Place Further Than The Universe)_
    Also... *"The Thing"*

  • @dontlookatender9282
    @dontlookatender9282 3 роки тому +18

    I actually have a family member who has been at amundsen-scott for the last 2 years (minus the mandatory time off-ice). You actually released this video at an amazing time because the transfer of the winter over crew to the summer crew is going on right now. My family member is supposed to be flying home within a week.
    You can thank them for the fact that the station is still operational.
    Also, i love your videos wendover, and if you want to make more Antarctic videos and want a primary source, i am sure I can convince them to share what they can.

    • @cincitymenace
      @cincitymenace 2 роки тому

      I wonder who your family member is. I was there with them in 2020.

  • @davidtedesco6692
    @davidtedesco6692 3 роки тому +38

    I have had the pleasure of living down there this past summer. So fun fact, everyone has a constant nose bleed due to the dry air. Also, because your body works so hard to get oxygen, your hands and feet are constantly drenched in sweat. In my first 2 weeks there, I lost 10 pounds by doing nothing but trying to survive. Thanks for this video! If you have more questions feel free to send me a message!

    • @alanlight7740
      @alanlight7740 3 роки тому +3

      I lost over 30 pounds while twice as much as I usually do. Town electrician, summer of 2007-08.

  • @sbs5130
    @sbs5130 3 роки тому +83

    The prevailing wind at the south pole is northerly.

    • @jamestarragano2156
      @jamestarragano2156 3 роки тому +4

      That's true. But we used a grid and report winds as Grid North etc.

    • @onradioactivewaves
      @onradioactivewaves 3 роки тому +2

      Which South pole?

    • @plo8monster113
      @plo8monster113 3 роки тому +5

      That's not true the only wind that could approach (blow towards) the south pole would have to come from the north. there is nothing south of the south pole therefore no wind could come from the south However all wind leaving the south pole would be northerly. .....Oh, damn I have done it again. I have confused myself. I should just stick to the east and west.

    • @360.Tapestry
      @360.Tapestry 2 роки тому

      but the earth is flat lol

  • @skaltura
    @skaltura 3 роки тому +8

    Those staying over the winter are all badasses.

    • @SuperTinnTinn
      @SuperTinnTinn 2 роки тому

      Check out the Southern Cross expedition Of 1898-1900, they wintered over In a prefabricated hut. 10 men.

  • @iceslayer777
    @iceslayer777 2 роки тому +1

    Very interesting video I remember watching this back a year ago in high school when it first came out. Now I’m back to watch it again just because it’s so cool (ironic). I actually just finished a college course on this and part of my inspiration for doing so was because of this video. I definitely didn’t regret doing so, had a lot of fun learning more about it!

  • @FalconFlurry
    @FalconFlurry 3 роки тому +258

    "-12°C -a temperature that most the world would consider absolutely unbearable"
    Me, a Canadian: but that's hockey weather!

    • @KateeAngel
      @KateeAngel 3 роки тому +30

      Yeah. -12C is unbearable? I know friends in Yakutia, there kids go to school when it is -30C ...-40C

    • @a-a-rondavis9438
      @a-a-rondavis9438 3 роки тому +15

      @@KateeAngel yes, to the vast majority of the world's population, below freezing isn't comfortable.

    • @Flimzes
      @Flimzes 3 роки тому +9

      A norwegian here, school closes at -30 - this only happened twice in my childhood - and those were not the days I remember as bad (usually clear skies and sunshine) -5 with strong winds and rain is the worst

    • @jole0000
      @jole0000 2 роки тому +8

      @@Flimzes in my country (finland), my school has never cancelled and the coldest it has been is -45. I live in utsjoki, 500km north of the arctic circle

    • @Flimzes
      @Flimzes 2 роки тому

      @@jole0000 That is super cool, were you expected to walk to school? Driven by parents? Or was some shuttle arranged?

  • @georgebuzea6879
    @georgebuzea6879 3 роки тому +61

    14:00 “it’s more important that we present ourselves professionally” yet one of the ladies is barefooted 😂😂

    • @MudakTheMultiplier
      @MudakTheMultiplier 3 роки тому +17

      Can't see feet on a zoom call.

    • @ArawnOfAnnwn
      @ArawnOfAnnwn 3 роки тому +18

      She knows her boss has a foot fetish.

    • @Bob_Lob_Law
      @Bob_Lob_Law 3 роки тому

      @@ArawnOfAnnwn Hers look a bit like meathooks

    • @isthatzee
      @isthatzee 3 роки тому

      glad im not the only one who noticed it lmao

  • @jebssan9
    @jebssan9 2 роки тому +1

    Excellent documentation! Thanks for making this possible...

  • @BijanIzadi
    @BijanIzadi 3 роки тому

    I’m gonna rewatch this a lot cause those images and videos from the south pole are insane

  • @uss_04
    @uss_04 3 роки тому +46

    Living at the South Pole seems incredibly Idellic, and yet terrifying at the same time

    • @davidty2006
      @davidty2006 3 роки тому +3

      Yeah perfect place to not be distrurbed and do a D&D game with your mates. But you only have so long to get the dice in.

    • @celticdenefew
      @celticdenefew 3 роки тому +5

      As someone who worked two contracts there (one summer only, one full year) - it is amazing and (for me at least) not that scary. Awareness of the possibilities keeps you cautious, but spending a year with 40 of your closest friends is priceless

  • @canaldoxerxes
    @canaldoxerxes 3 роки тому +501

    Spoiler: it's cold.
    Also, pray that Kurt Russel isn't there.

    • @dranelemakol
      @dranelemakol 3 роки тому +25

      No, pray that he IS there when the aliens come

    • @TheLiamster
      @TheLiamster 3 роки тому +3

      Is this a reference to a movie or something because I don’t get it?

    • @kimamlien3296
      @kimamlien3296 3 роки тому +28

      @@TheLiamster The Thing (1982)

    • @pyromcr
      @pyromcr 3 роки тому +18

      Macready sus
      *Macready was not the impostor*

    • @owenbunny4023
      @owenbunny4023 3 роки тому +9

      Stock up on flamethrower

  • @Hidfors
    @Hidfors 3 роки тому +2

    This really isn't intended as a pun, but this is the coolest video on your channel so far :D
    Thank you, the South Pole is extremely fascinating, as is the research going on there.

  • @desert.mantis
    @desert.mantis 3 роки тому

    Thank you, Sam and Co. Another excellent and informative video.

  • @Roope00
    @Roope00 3 роки тому +31

    7:30 The "m" in "mbit" should be capitalised as it is a prefix denoting "mega".

    • @SuperFranzs
      @SuperFranzs 3 роки тому +4

      millibit

    • @Geerice
      @Geerice 3 роки тому +3

      Obviously they're referring to a value that is 1/1000 the size of a bit

    • @butwhowasmoto2739
      @butwhowasmoto2739 3 роки тому +1

      @@Geerice while I know that's a joke, it gives rise to an interesting thing to ponder - it is impossible to transmit a fraction of a bit of information. A bit is either transmitted or it isn't.

    • @Snipergoat1
      @Snipergoat1 3 роки тому

      @@butwhowasmoto2739 Yeah you can. In orthogonal encoding bits are broken into smaller parts called chips. The nature of the coding allows many people to see the same transmission but only be able to interpret their part. As you can imagine this is great for cell phones.

    •  3 роки тому +1

      @@butwhowasmoto2739 And adding to what @Joe Momma said, even if a fraction of a bit were impossible to transmit, you could still get a fraction speed per second, simply by not transmitting bits every second.

  • @MrLense
    @MrLense 3 роки тому +13

    It's like being back in college. Stayed indoors, studied and socialised with dorm mates and barely coming out except for exams.

  • @ernestbywater411
    @ernestbywater411 3 роки тому +44

    This would've been better if you'd included some information about the other 30 plus Permanent Antarctic Stations, many of which are also manned all year round and are available to provide some limited support to the other stations in an emergency.

    • @0Vegeta0
      @0Vegeta0 2 роки тому +2

      was going to say this. he also placed Christchurch wrong

    • @rohesilmnelohe
      @rohesilmnelohe 2 роки тому +1

      The SP station should have those soviet designed crawlers stored in a garage just for evacuation purposes.

  • @frailty7280
    @frailty7280 2 роки тому +1

    this showed up in my recommended again after going down a bit of a south pole rabbit hole, but if youre interested in this subject i recommend checking out viktor from Gone Venturing, he's served multiple winters at the south pole as well as the slightly more populated McMurdo station closer to the coast and has posted a lot of videos about it including a full tour of the Amundsen-Scott south pole station. very fascinating.

  • @ashishpradhan636
    @ashishpradhan636 3 роки тому +15

    Salute to all pilots who make life at the coldest place on earth inhabitable. Risking their lives to save others. This line made me tear up.

  • @ihavetowait90daystochangem67
    @ihavetowait90daystochangem67 3 роки тому +62

    The Internet Connection in Antarctica is still 10x than my wifi when it’s placed on another room

    • @itstomatogear6806
      @itstomatogear6806 3 роки тому

      Congratulations 🎉👏 of being the top comment 👍😁 (as of now 😈)

    • @saggitt
      @saggitt 3 роки тому

      Count again, this time per person with a laptop :)

  • @niagarawarrior9623
    @niagarawarrior9623 3 роки тому +2

    I got to say, once you get over the unusual speech pattern, this is hands down, one of, the best youtube, channels.
    Seriously, great job.

    • @linda10989
      @linda10989 2 місяці тому

      Unusual speech pattern? What do you mean?

  • @UQRXD
    @UQRXD 4 місяці тому +1

    The lowest recorded relative humidity was 0.03% in Iran with an air temperature of 46.5 and a dew point of -33.2 (both in degrees Celsius).

  • @TheJerbol
    @TheJerbol 3 роки тому +3

    4:19 that's one of the most beautiful landscape shots i've ever seen

  • @sd4830
    @sd4830 3 роки тому +16

    I worked at Palmer station during the 2016 evacuation from the South Pole! We spent days on the glacier prepping it for a potential emergency landing. Fortunately however everything went smoothly and we weren't required to assist in the flight.

  • @billwhitman1326
    @billwhitman1326 3 роки тому +2

    Great video as usual. I was always curious how internet worked there. However, I should point out that for Astronomy, the Atacama desert is better for viewing stars than the South Pole. For instance the Very Large Telescope operates there. They also have one of the most remote hotels in the world, it may be interesting to do a video on them actually...

  • @Noukz37
    @Noukz37 3 роки тому +1

    Truly beautiful music in this video by the way!

  • @vuyintaka2648
    @vuyintaka2648 3 роки тому +174

    Guys I need clarity, is the narrator here the same person as Half as interesting or am I just confused.

    • @emielleclercq
      @emielleclercq 3 роки тому +41

      Of course not

    • @joaquinqueijo6086
      @joaquinqueijo6086 3 роки тому +41

      No he is the same person. Which is surprising because it would be hard to run 2 channels at once especially with how often HAI posts. Even with people helping him

    • @AVeryRandomPerson
      @AVeryRandomPerson 3 роки тому +109

      Nah, that guy Sam over at HAI hates "that idiot over at Wendover Productions".

    • @rj5848
      @rj5848 3 роки тому +9

      Realifelore, half as interesting,wendover production are same person

    • @harrisontucker8397
      @harrisontucker8397 3 роки тому +6

      No they absolutely hate each other

  • @thisissolidsnake97
    @thisissolidsnake97 3 роки тому +7

    About to head over for my first season at Mcmurdo this summer

    • @dirremoire
      @dirremoire 3 роки тому

      Have fun wasting taxpayer money.

  • @kurtduvel4345
    @kurtduvel4345 3 роки тому +1

    0:36 - Clifton 4th Beach, Cape Town, South Africa 🏖️🇿🇦 With the Twelves Apostles mountain range in the distance, which forms the back of the iconic Table Mountain ⛰️

  • @WutangchickeN
    @WutangchickeN Рік тому +2

    I've been inside the mechanical pivot on the south pole telescope and it's one of the most impressive things I've ever seen.

  • @jeiku5314
    @jeiku5314 3 роки тому +87

    Drinking game idea: Take a shot when you hear: "in addition", "therefore", and "however."

    • @shanezhang8277
      @shanezhang8277 2 роки тому

      Other idea:take a shot whenever wendover mentions planes in a video

    • @firemonkeykar
      @firemonkeykar 2 роки тому

      Hard to do when the whisky froze

  • @masterprocrastinator8521
    @masterprocrastinator8521 3 роки тому +66

    Perfect physical health? Yep
    Can deal with the isolation? Yep
    Spotty internet connection? ...I don't think I'd survive in Antarctica

    • @alanlight7740
      @alanlight7740 3 роки тому +6

      There's a pretty good internet connection at McMurdo, though it's sometimes a bit slow.
      At South Pole we had satellite internet 9 hours per day when I was there summer of 2007-08, depending on when the satellites were in the right position - then we lost one and still had 7 hours per days - though it moved forward a few minutes each day so it wasn't always the same time of day. They also had another satellite that they didn't offer to regular workers there, but which was available for emergency communications and for short emails 24/7.
      Hopefully they have a better connection now, but it's not quite as bad as you might think.

    • @SpencerGD
      @SpencerGD 3 роки тому +2

      ^ this. My physical health is great and I was social distancing long before COVID-19, but by God, I would not want to live without internet access.

    • @markusklyver6277
      @markusklyver6277 2 роки тому

      @@alanlight7740 Just lay down a fiber optics cable bruh

    • @alanlight7740
      @alanlight7740 2 роки тому

      @@markusklyver6277 - LOL - easier said than done.
      You know those glaciers are constantly moving, right?

  • @captnjack5637
    @captnjack5637 3 роки тому +1

    I did 4 winters and 2 summers at the South Pole Station. Had no problems whatsoever doing it. Actually miss going there for winters.

  • @charlieverleysen9163
    @charlieverleysen9163 3 роки тому

    Hi sam it's my B-day tmrw. I've been watching you for 4 years now and I'm turning 13. I hope u have a nice year❤

  • @tianliao5402
    @tianliao5402 3 роки тому +26

    i can feel the presence of plane facts

  • @harshdharpawar3183
    @harshdharpawar3183 3 роки тому +8

    Wendover Productions is my most favourite channel.....It has best narrator...
    He has best quality short videos...and most importantly he doesn't add fake exclamations in Title 🎉

  • @ChrisBChronisterJr92
    @ChrisBChronisterJr92 3 роки тому +1

    This stuff is so interesting. Love it!

  • @sheilagravely5621
    @sheilagravely5621 2 роки тому +3

    I can't stand the heat and humidity with all my illnesses, especially my copd and other breathing difficulties. I always thought it would be great to live in Alaska or the south pole. You just changed my mind, I'll suffer here.

  • @jamesbarnett7506
    @jamesbarnett7506 3 роки тому +49

    No one:
    Sam: Therefore

  • @osamabinladder9323
    @osamabinladder9323 3 роки тому +12

    All gangster till “The Thing” starts attacking the base

  • @FerdinandCesarano
    @FerdinandCesarano 3 роки тому +2

    13:14 - You meant "It's tough to *overstate* how tough it is to give live year-round at the South Pole", meaning that, no matter what extreme language you use to describe the difficulty, you will not be overstating it.

  • @thatcherhousecat8660
    @thatcherhousecat8660 3 роки тому +1

    Would love to see a video about Kenn Borek Air, what's the history of that service!? Seems pretty amazing.

  • @emartinez2740
    @emartinez2740 3 роки тому +115

    No one:
    Sam: The building is shaped like an airplane wing 👁👄👁

    • @Lucasthemann
      @Lucasthemann 3 роки тому +2

      I don't get the point of your comment...

    • @EE-sw3uh
      @EE-sw3uh 3 роки тому

      @@Lucasthemann then you don’t watch enough wendover!

    • @nou6206
      @nou6206 2 роки тому

      @@EE-sw3uh explain then

    • @rovat6285
      @rovat6285 2 роки тому

      @@nou6206 basically, the guy really likes airplanes

  • @AkankshaSingh-hx4db
    @AkankshaSingh-hx4db 3 роки тому +76

    "this year the challenges and risks are even bigger"
    Everyone who has lived through 2020: oh there we go again

  • @noneed8882
    @noneed8882 3 роки тому +1

    Plumber here, I worked there 16 years ago, some of the footage if not most is when I was there. So one of the people walking around could be me 😁

  • @nncoco
    @nncoco 2 роки тому +2

    The south pole actually had a freak moment of 40-degree weather in the 1980's. A friend who was there told me that people threw their shirts off and ran around in absolute bliss,

  • @sannidhyabalkote9536
    @sannidhyabalkote9536 3 роки тому +4

    A upload on the right channel!!!!
    OMG !!! NO WAYY!!

  • @skuzlebut82
    @skuzlebut82 3 роки тому +3

    I've been to the US station at the South Pole. I spent most of my time at McMurdo, though. I did a winter over on the ice.
    I went from home in the middle of the US, a layover and then to Christchurch, NZ. There, we were issued all of our winter weather gear and eventually put on a US Air Force C-17. We flew from NZ to Willie's Field right by McMurdo.

  • @drivernephi2212
    @drivernephi2212 2 роки тому +3

    Just because the video mentioned doctors needing to have their appendixes removed in order to not have the only doctor in the team suffer from appendicitis; it has already happened and it's probably the reason why. The doctor in question successfully performed surgery on himself.

  • @Pipolag1
    @Pipolag1 3 роки тому +1

    How in the world does Wendover get access to all this info. Wow! Great stuff.

  • @fridaycaliforniaa236
    @fridaycaliforniaa236 3 роки тому +8

    And you also forgot to mention that atmosphere is thinner at the poles, so 2 000 meters altitude there is more difficult to have than 2 000 meters at the equator

    • @alanlight7740
      @alanlight7740 3 роки тому +2

      9300 feet - but the equivalent of about 10,500 feet at the equator.

    • @fridaycaliforniaa236
      @fridaycaliforniaa236 3 роки тому

      @@alanlight7740 Oh thx for the maths, I was too lazy to do it by myself ^^

  • @lesselp
    @lesselp 3 роки тому +6

    Blooper reel: "It's tough to understate..." should have been it's tough to overstate...

  • @keithplya9
    @keithplya9 3 роки тому +4

    Literally dying at the line "stuck indoors, in a cramped space, in close quarters to others, for a entire year." Hunny, that's called living in NYC during the pandemic.

  • @euge7569
    @euge7569 2 роки тому +1

    my uncle lived in antarctica for a year doing reaserch in the 80's and he had to have his appendix removed too. I'm not sure how things are now but back then everyone had to do it at least on the Argentinian base

  • @bentleyspotter
    @bentleyspotter 3 роки тому +19

    If Wendover productions takes themselves as a professional institution, why does your intern not wear shoes at the desk? 13:57

    • @a10warthog4
      @a10warthog4 3 роки тому +1

      Stock footage

    • @a-a-rondavis9438
      @a-a-rondavis9438 3 роки тому

      It's probably very aloof outside of their job hours. People need things to do. Games, sports, fellowship, sex, etc.. it happens all the time, but their jobs are the important bit.

  • @Dasbush121
    @Dasbush121 3 роки тому +11

    Worked at McMurdo for 5 months. I really miss it.

  • @Numba003
    @Numba003 3 роки тому +3

    Fascinating stuff! I would really love to visit the pole one day, just so I could say that I’ve been there. Stay well out there everybody, and Jesus Christ be with you friends.😊

  • @piiinkDeluxe
    @piiinkDeluxe 3 місяці тому

    So fascinating, thank you 😊

  • @jxjunk
    @jxjunk 3 роки тому +9

    they finally uploaded to the right channel

  • @allenpradhan2063
    @allenpradhan2063 3 роки тому +67

    South Pole is unreachable to rest of the world for 6 months
    Introverts: sounds like heaven 😂

    • @gargravarr2
      @gargravarr2 3 роки тому +9

      The other 44 scientists inside the station: "Allow us to introduce ourselves"

    • @Needkey.
      @Needkey. 3 роки тому +2

      Especially when Starlink is fully built and they have excellent internet 24/7.

    • @gargravarr2
      @gargravarr2 3 роки тому

      @@Needkey. That still assumes Starlink satellites bother to fly over the poles. They're still subject to financial factors, just like the other internet satellites mentioned in the video.

    • @Needkey.
      @Needkey. 3 роки тому

      @@gargravarr2 The polar orbit launches are already planned, and money isn't an issue thanks to the NASA and DOD contracts! Starlink is their plan to make money, and you gotta spend money to make money.

    • @pudmina
      @pudmina 3 роки тому +1

      Except for Ken Borek Air

  • @TheMILVSCR
    @TheMILVSCR 7 місяців тому

    There's a great documentary about life at the south pole called Antarctica: A Year On Ice. I highly recommend it.

  • @kariahola463
    @kariahola463 3 роки тому

    Time zone?
    Amundsen-Scott station located on the South Pole observes New Zealand Standard Time (NZST) during standard time and New Zealand Daylight Time (NZDT) during the DST.

  • @FlyWithMe_666
    @FlyWithMe_666 3 роки тому +3

    Thank you! SouthPole is #2 on my ‘where-to-escape-from-crazy-2020’ list (#1: the moon). This guide really helps with me escape plans.

  • @timetraveler2518
    @timetraveler2518 2 роки тому +3

    Training to survive and adapt in a self-sufficient South Pole shelter on a hostile frozen land is a good start before it leaps forward to Saturn's Moon Titan for the self-sufficient human colony in a near future. Adapt or die! 👍🤠👍

  • @nvakil7723
    @nvakil7723 3 роки тому +1

    I have to go there -not visit but live there for a bit. Seems like a great place to find out what you're really made of.

  • @AluminumOxide
    @AluminumOxide 3 роки тому +1

    you can also visit the South Pole station, i've seen torist packages for a 7 week long expedition costing around $30k, or even an AirBnb internship program for a month, which I applied to last year and nearly got in, but I was one out of 214,000 applicants. In the end, a varied team of 6 scientists were selected for free.

    • @alanlight7740
      @alanlight7740 3 роки тому +1

      If you're going to spend that long there, might as well get a job and get paid.
      We saw some tourists come in, but none stayed even as long as 48 hours.

  • @captnjack5637
    @captnjack5637 3 роки тому +6

    I have spent 4 winters and 2 summers there over an 8 year period. Yes, an interesting place for sure. Most of this film was taken at McMurdo, there are no mountains or hills there.

  • @johnf.kennedy343
    @johnf.kennedy343 3 роки тому +9

    You should make a video about “The Logistics of The Apollo Space Missions”

    • @davidty2006
      @davidty2006 3 роки тому

      When will i ever get a video of The Logistics of Airdrops.

  • @PopcornColonelx
    @PopcornColonelx 3 роки тому

    Very good video, thank you for sharing.

  • @unknownsoldier4156
    @unknownsoldier4156 2 роки тому

    And I though -30F plus windchill was bad where I live. I don't know I'm quite fond of the coldest days/places. I might want to live there if I had the option. Provided I could bring my planting skills with me of course!