Surviving Antarctica

by David N. Thomas

"We have been endlessly digging snow, which rapidly builds up at the doorways. This is a very important job as we don't want to get trapped in the buildings if there is a fire, one of the biggest risks down here."-- blog entry, Surviving Antarctica Marine biologist David N. Thomas, a veteran visitor to the icy continent, recounts the hardships (and pleasures) he and his colleagues encountered as they worked in Antarctica. Surviving Antarctica is the compelling story of the daily lives of Antarctic scientists, technicians and researchers who work and live there for months at a time. The book's five sections describe a working trip to the polar south through lively text plus blog excerpts, anecdotes, and dozens of color photographs and maps. The reader learns, for example, what the Antarctic worker must pack (and that everything -- including human waste -- must be carried out); that icebergs are made of freshwater, not seawater; and that the Antarctic snow is more similar to free-flying polystyrene chips than to the sticky stuff we know. Along with stories about daily life in what he calls "Earth's beautiful south," Thomas weaves the history of Antarctic research stations with descriptions of vegetation, animal life, geology, glaciology and sea life. He concludes with a balanced discussion on climate change and Antarctica's uncertain future.

Genres: Nonfiction

96 pages, Paperback

First published August 17, 2007

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Please see: David N. Thomas


David Thomas is based at the University of Helsinki where he is the Professor of Arctic Ecosystem Research in the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences.

Previously (1996 to 2020) he was at Bangor University where from 2006 he held the Chair of Marine Biology in the School of Ocean Sciences in Menai Bridge.

He studied and did his PhD in Liverpool University where he studied seaweed physiology, before spending 7 years in Germany working on oceanographic projects in the Antarctic, Arctic and Red Sea.

After returning to the UK in 1996 he established a groups working on sea ice biogeochemistry, land-ocean interactions, and the production of biofuels from algal bioreactors.

From 2009 to 2013 he held an Academy of Finland Distinguished Professorship at the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE). In 2013 he also held a Chair in Arctic Marine Biology at Aarhus University, Denmark.

He takes pride in conveying his science to non-specialist audiences, both in talks but also writing textbooks and books for non-academic audiences. Over the years, he has become increasingly interested in the connections between observational biology and art and design.

Reviews

[Heather ~*dread mushrooms*~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a quick read that manages to give a lot of information without going too in-depth or becoming overwhelming. The topics are presented in a sort of snapshot form. We learn bits about what a scientist has to do to prepare to travel to Antarctica, various forms of ice, life on the ice and the challenges one faces working there, and the different forms of life. (Thankfully the book didn't linger too fondly over penguins or annoyingly over the effects of warming on the continent.) In addition there are some excellent photographs of the landscape as well as some of the stations. I was pleased to see some photos from underwater too.

I'd read another Antarctica book that mentioned how clean the scientists and tourist industry have to keep the continent, yet in the same book I was astonished at how much waste gets left behind (that book didn't even address that issue). Off the top of my head, I recall the issues I had with tracking devices glued to the backs of penguins, which were later molted off (whether these were collected or left wherever they fell the book never said), as well as the fluid poured into holes to keep the ice from freezing when the scientists drilled for ice cores. I was glad to see this book mention the fluid, at least, and that measures were being taken to lessen the human effects on this environment.

I guess my one complaint would be that because of the title, I really expected more of a guide on how to actually survive in Antarctica. But I didn't even realize that until I'd already finished reading. All in all, this was a good little book!

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

lots of facts, great photography and a good read!

[Stephen Cranney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a short, fun, but informative discussion of what it's like to live and work in Antarctica.