Amundsen Scott on the map. Man on the Ice Continent - L.I.

(not on the mainland coast).

The station was built in November 1956 for scientific purposes by order of the US government.

An aerial photograph of Amundsen-Scott Station, taken around 1983. The central dome is visible, as well as various containers and supporting buildings

The main entrance to the dome is located below the snow level. Initially, the dome was built on the surface, but then gradually sank into the snow

The aluminum unheated “tent” is a landmark of the pole. There were even Postal office, shop and pub.

Any building at the pole is quickly surrounded by snow, and the design of the dome was not the most successful. A huge amount of fuel was wasted to remove snow, and delivery of a liter of fuel costs $7.

The unique design on stilts allows snow not to accumulate near the building, but to pass under it. The sloped shape of the bottom of the building allows the wind to be directed under the building, which helps blow snow away. But sooner or later the snow will cover the piles, and then it will be possible to jack up the station twice (this ensures the service life of the station from 30 to 45 years).

Construction materials were delivered by Hercules aircraft from McMurdo Station on the shore and only during daylight hours. More than 1000 flights were made.

On January 15, 2008, in the presence of the leadership of the US National Science Foundation and other organizations, the American flag was lowered from the dome station and raised in front of the new modern complex. The station can accommodate up to 150 people in summer and about 50 in winter.

Minimum temperature in the south geographic pole Earth was −82.8 °C, 6.8 °C higher than the absolute temperature minimum on the planet and at the Vostok station (there it was −89.6 °C), 0.8 °C lower than unofficially minimum recorded in 1916 in Oymyakon - the coldest winter city in Russia and Northern Hemisphere and was celebrated on June 23, 1982, one day after the date of the summer solstice. IN this century The most severe frost in Amundsen-Scott was observed on August 1, 2005, -79.3 °C.

In summer, the station's population is usually more than 200 people. Most staff leave by mid-February, leaving only a few dozen people (43 in 2009) wintering, mostly support staff plus several scientists who maintain the station during the several months of Antarctic night. Winterers are isolated from the rest of the world from mid-February to the end of October, during which time they face many dangers and stress. The station is completely self-sufficient in winter period, is supplied with power from three generators running on JP-8 aviation fuel.

Research at the station includes sciences such as glaciology, geophysics, meteorology, upper atmospheric physics, astronomy, astrophysics and biomedical research. Most scientists work in low-frequency astronomy; low temperature and the low humidity of polar air, combined with altitudes of over 2,743 m (9,000 ft), provide much greater air clarity at some frequencies than is typical elsewhere on the planet, and months of darkness allow sensitive equipment to operate continuously.

In January 2007, the station was visited by a group of Russian high officials, including FSB chiefs Nikolai Patrushev and Vladimir Pronichev. The expedition, led by polar explorer Artur Chilingarov, took off from Chile on two Mi-8 helicopters and landed at the South Pole.

TV show aired on September 6, 2007 Man Made National Geographic Channel with an episode about the construction of a new building here.

November 9, 2007 program Today NBC, with co-writer Ann Curry, reported via satellite phone, which was broadcast on live from the South Pole.

On Christmas Day 2007, two base employees got into a drunken fight and were evacuated.

Every year the station staff gathers to watch the films “The Thing” and “The Shining”

The station occupies a prominent place in a number of

History and present

The station is located at an altitude of 2835 above sea level, on a glacier that nearby reaches a maximum thickness of 2850 m (). The average annual temperature is about −49 °C; varies from −28 °C in December to −60 °C in July. average speed wind - 5.5 m/s; Gusts up to 27 m/s were recorded.

Foundation of the station (1957-1975)

The original station - now called "Old Pole" (eng. Old Pole) - was founded in 1956-1957. an 18-man US Navy expedition that landed here in October 1956 and wintered there for the first time in Antarctic history in 1957. Because climatic conditions were previously unknown, the base was built underground to overcome any worst weather conditions. The lowest temperature in 1957 was recorded at −74 °C (−102 °F). Surviving such low temperatures, combined with low humidity and low air pressure, is only possible with proper protection.

The station, abandoned in 1975, is covered with snow (like any structure at the South Pole) at a rate of 60-80 mm per year. Now it is buried quite deeply and is completely closed to visitors, since all the wooden floors have been crushed by the snow.

On January 4, 1958, the British Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition arrived at the station with the famous mountaineer Edmund Hillary. It was the first expedition to use road transport and the first to reach the Pole by land, since Amundsen in 1911 and Scott in 1912. The expedition moved from the New Zealand station of Scott Base.

Dome (1975-2003)

An aerial photograph of Amundsen-Scott Station taken around 1983. The central dome is visible, as well as various containers and supporting buildings.

The main entrance to the dome is located below the snow level. Initially, the dome was built on the surface, but then gradually sank into the snow.

The aluminum unheated “tent” is a landmark of the pole. There was even a post office, a shop and a pub.

Any building at the pole is quickly surrounded by snow and the design of the dome was not the most successful. A huge amount of fuel was wasted to remove snow, and delivery of a liter of fuel costs $7.

The equipment from 1975 is completely outdated.

New scientific complex (since 2003)

The unique design on stilts allows snow not to accumulate near the building, but to pass under it. The sloped shape of the bottom of the building allows the wind to be directed under the building, which helps blow snow away. But sooner or later the snow will cover the piles and then it will be possible to jack up the station twice (this increases the service life of the station from 30 to 45 years).

Construction materials were delivered by Hercules aircraft from McMurdo Station on the shore and only during daylight hours. More than 1000 flights were made.

The complex contains:

  • 11-kilometer low-frequency antenna for observing and predicting celestial and cosmic storms,
  • the tallest 10-meter telescope at the pole, rising 7 floors up and weighing 275 thousand kg
  • drilling rig (depth - up to 2.5 km) for studying neutrinos.

On January 15, 2008, in the presence of the leadership of the US National Science Foundation and other organizations, the American flag was lowered from the dome station and raised in front of the new modern complex. The station can accommodate up to 150 people in summer and about 50 in winter.

Activity

In summer, the station's population is usually more than 200 people. Most of the staff leave by mid-February, leaving only a few dozen people (43 in 2009) overwintering, mostly support staff plus a few scientists who maintain the station during the several months of Antarctic night. Winterers are isolated from the rest of the world from mid-February to the end of October, during which time they face many dangers and stress. The station is completely self-sufficient in winter, supplied with power from three generators running on JP-8 aviation fuel.

Research at the station includes sciences such as glaciology, geophysics, meteorology, upper atmospheric physics, astronomy, astrophysics, and biomedical research. Most scientists work in low-frequency astronomy; the low temperature and low humidity of polar air, combined with altitudes of over 2,743 m (9,000 ft), cause the air to be much clearer at some frequencies than is normal elsewhere, and the months of darkness allow sensitive equipment to operate continuously.

Events

In 1991, Michael Palin visited the base during the 8th and final episode of his television series documentary film BBC "Pole to Pole".

In 1999, while spending the winter, doctor Jerry Nielsen discovered that she had breast cancer. She had to give herself chemotherapy with drugs dropped in July and then was flown out after the first plane landed in mid-October.

In January 2007, the station was visited by a group of Russian high officials, including FSB chiefs Nikolai Patrushev and Vladimir Pronichev. The expedition, led by polar explorer Artur Chilingarov, took off from Chile on two Mi-8 helicopters and landed at the South Pole.

TV show aired on September 6, 2007 Man Made National Geographic Channel with an episode about the construction of a new building here.

November 9, 2007 program Today NBC, with co-author Ann Curry, reported via satellite phone, which was broadcast live from the South Pole.

On Christmas Day 2007, two base employees got into a drunken fight and were evacuated.

In popular culture

The station has featured prominently in a number of science fiction television series, including the film The X-Files: Fight for the Future.

Station at the South Pole called Snowcap Base was the site of the first Cybermen invasion of Earth in the 1966 series Doctor Who The Tenth Planet.

In film White mist(2009) takes place at Amundsen-Scott Station, although the buildings in the film are completely different from the real ones.

Time zone

At the South Pole, sunset and sunrise are theoretically visible only once a year, at the autumn and spring equinoxes respectively, but due to atmospheric refraction, the sun remains above the horizon for more than four days each time. There is no solar time here; there is no daily maximum or minimum height of the sun above the horizon. The station uses New Zealand time (GMT +12 hours or +13 hours in summer time) as all flights into McMurdo Station originate from Christchurch and therefore all official trips from the poles pass through New Zealand.

Discovery of the South Pole - a centuries-old dream polar explorers- on your own final stage in the summer of 1912, it took on the character of an intense competition between the expeditions of two countries - Norway and Great Britain. For the first it ended in triumph, for others - in tragedy. But, despite this, Roald Amundsen and Robert Scott, who led them, forever went down in the history of the exploration of the sixth continent.

The first explorers of the southern polar latitudes

The conquest of the South Pole began back in those years when people only vaguely realized that somewhere on the edge Southern Hemisphere there must be land. The first of the navigators who managed to approach it was sailing in the South Atlantic and in 1501 reached the fiftieth latitude.

This was the era when accomplishments Briefly describing his stay in these previously inaccessible latitudes (Vespucci was not only a navigator, but also a scientist), he continued his journey to the shores of a new, recently discovered continent - America - which today bears his name.

Systematic exploration of southern latitudes in the hope of finding unknown land Almost three centuries later, the famous Englishman James Cook undertook the project. He managed to get even closer to it, reaching the seventy-second parallel, but his further advance to the south was prevented by Antarctic icebergs and floating ice.

Discovery of the sixth continent

Antarctica, the South Pole, and most importantly - the right to be called a discoverer and pioneer frozen in ice lands and the glory associated with this circumstance haunted many. Throughout the 19th century there were continuous attempts to conquer the sixth continent. Our navigators Mikhail Lazarev and Thaddeus Bellingshausen, who were sent by the Russian geographical society, the Englishman Clark Ross, who reached the seventy-eighth parallel, as well as whole line German, French and Swedish researchers. These enterprises were crowned with success only at the end of the century, when the Australian Johann Bull had the honor of being the first to set foot on the shores of the hitherto unknown Antarctica.

From that moment on, not only scientists, but also whalers, for whom the cold seas represented a wide fishing area, rushed to the Antarctic waters. Year after year, the coast was developed, the first research stations appeared, but the South Pole (its mathematical point) still remained out of reach. In this context, the question arose with extraordinary urgency: who will be able to get ahead of the competition and whose national flag will be the first to fly at the southern tip of the planet?

Race to the South Pole

At the beginning of the 20th century, attempts were made repeatedly to conquer this inaccessible corner of the Earth, and each time the polar explorers managed to get closer to it. The climax came in October 1911, when the ships of two expeditions at once - the British, led by Robert Falcon Scott, and the Norwegian, led by Roald Amundsen (the South Pole was a long-standing and cherished dream), almost simultaneously set a course for the shores of Antarctica. They were separated only by a few hundred miles.

It is curious that at first the Norwegian expedition did not intend to storm the South Pole. Amundsen and his crew were heading to the Arctic. Exactly northern tip The land was in the plans of the ambitious navigator. However, on the way, he received a message that he had already submitted to the Americans - Cook and Peary. Not wanting to lose his prestige, Amundsen abruptly changed course and turned south. Thus, he challenged the British, and they could not help but stand up for the honor of their nation.

His rival Robert Scott, before committing himself research activities, long time served as an officer navy Her Majesty and gained sufficient experience in command of battleships and cruisers. After retiring, he spent two years on the coast of Antarctica, taking part in the work scientific station. They even made an attempt to break through to the Pole, but having advanced a very significant distance in three months, Scott was forced to turn back.

On the eve of the decisive assault

The teams had different tactics for achieving the goal in the unique Amundsen-Scott race. Main vehicle The British were Manchurian horses. Short and hardy, they were perfectly suited to the conditions of polar latitudes. But, besides them, travelers also had at their disposal the traditional dog sleds in such cases and even a completely new product of those years - motor sleighs. The Norwegians relied in everything on the proven northern huskies, who had to pull four sledges, heavily loaded with equipment, throughout the entire journey.

Both faced a journey of eight hundred miles each way, and the same amount back (if they survived, of course). Ahead of them awaited glaciers, cut by bottomless cracks, terrible frosts, accompanied by blizzards and blizzards and completely excluding visibility, as well as frostbite, injuries, hunger and all kinds of deprivation inevitable in such cases. The reward for one of the teams was supposed to be the glory of discoverers and the right to hoist the flag of their power on the pole. Neither the Norwegians nor the British doubted that the game was worth the candle.

If he was more skillful and experienced in navigation, then Amundsen was clearly superior to him as an experienced polar explorer. The decisive transition to the pole was preceded by wintering on the Antarctic continent, and the Norwegian managed to choose much more for it. appropriate place than its British counterpart. Firstly, their camp was located almost a hundred miles closer to end point travel than the British, and secondly, Amundsen laid out the route from it to the Pole in such a way that he was able to bypass the areas where the most violent very coldy and incessant snowstorms and blizzards.

Triumph and defeat

The Norwegian detachment managed to complete the entire intended journey and return to the base camp, meeting it during the short Antarctic summer. One can only admire the professionalism and brilliance with which Amundsen led his group, following with incredible accuracy the schedule he himself had drawn up. Among the people who trusted him, there were not only no deaths, but even no serious injuries.

A completely different fate awaited Scott's expedition. Before the most difficult part of the journey, when there were one hundred and fifty miles left to the goal, the last members of the auxiliary group turned back, and the five English explorers themselves harnessed themselves to the heavy sledges. By this time, all the horses had died, the motor sleds were out of order, and the dogs were simply eaten by the polar explorers themselves - they had to take extreme measures to survive.

Finally, on January 17, 1912, as a result of incredible efforts, they reached the mathematical point of the South Pole, but terrible disappointment awaited them there. Everything around bore traces of the rivals who had been here before them. The imprints of sledge runners and dog paws could be seen in the snow, but the most convincing evidence of their defeat was the tent left between the ice, above which the Norwegian flag fluttered. Alas, they missed the discovery of the South Pole.

Scott left notes in his diary about the shock that the members of his group experienced. The terrible disappointment left the British in complete shock. They all spent the next night without sleep. They were burdened by the thought of how they would look into the eyes of those people who, for hundreds of miles along the icy continent, freezing and falling into cracks, helped them reach the last section of the path and undertake a decisive, but unsuccessful assault.

Catastrophe

However, no matter what, we had to gather our strength and return. Eight hundred miles of return lay between life and death. Moving from one intermediate camp with fuel and food to another, the polar explorers catastrophically lost strength. Their situation became more and more hopeless every day. A few days later, death visited the camp for the first time - the youngest of them and seemingly physically strong, Edgar Evans, died. His body was buried in the snow and covered with heavy ice floes.

The next victim was Lawrence Oates, a dragoon captain who went to the Pole, driven by a thirst for adventure. The circumstances of his death are very remarkable - having frozen his hands and feet and realizing that he was becoming a burden to his comrades, he secretly left his accommodation at night and went into impenetrable darkness, voluntarily dooming himself to death. His body was never found.

There were only eleven miles left to the nearest intermediate camp when a snowstorm suddenly arose, completely excluding the possibility of further advance. Three Englishmen found themselves captive in ice, cut off from the rest of the world, deprived of food and any opportunity to warm themselves.

The tent they pitched, of course, could not serve as any reliable shelter. The air temperature outside dropped to -40 o C, respectively, inside, in the absence of a heater, it was not much higher. This insidious March blizzard never released them from its embrace...

Posthumous lines

Six months later, when the tragic outcome of the expedition became obvious, a rescue group was sent to search for polar explorers. Among the impassable ice, she managed to discover a snow-covered tent with the bodies of three British explorers - Henry Bowers, Edward Wilson and their commander Robert Scott.

Among the belongings of the victims, Scott's diaries were found, and, what amazed the rescuers, bags of geological samples collected on the slopes of rocks protruding from the glacier. Incredibly, the three Englishmen stubbornly continued to drag these stones even when there was practically no hope of salvation.

In his notes, Robert Scott, having detailed and analyzed the reasons that led to the tragic outcome, gave highly appreciated moral and strong-willed qualities the comrades who accompanied him. In conclusion, addressing those into whose hands the diary would fall, he asked to do everything so that his relatives would not be left to the mercy of fate. Having dedicated several farewell lines to his wife, Scott bequeathed to her to ensure that their son received an appropriate education and was able to continue his research activities.

By the way, in the future his son Peter Scott became famous ecologist who dedicated their lives to protecting natural resources planets. Born shortly before the day when his father set off on the last expedition of his life, he lived to a ripe old age and died in 1989.

caused by tragedy

Continuing the story, it should be noted that the competition between two expeditions, the result of which for one was the discovery of the South Pole, and for the other - death, had a very unexpected consequences. When the celebrations on the occasion of this undoubtedly important geographical discovery, fell silent congratulatory speeches and the applause ended, the question arose about moral side what happened. There was no doubt that indirectly the cause of the death of the British was the deep depression caused by Amundsen's victory.

Direct accusations against the recently honored winner appeared not only in the British, but also in the Norwegian press. A completely reasonable question was raised: did Roald Amundsen, experienced and very experienced in exploring extreme latitudes, have the moral right to involve the ambitious, but lacking the necessary skills, Scott and his comrades in the competitive process? Wouldn't it be more correct to invite him to unite and joint efforts accomplish your plans?

Amundsen's riddle

How Amundsen reacted to this and whether he blamed himself for unwittingly causing the death of his British colleague is a question that remains forever unanswered. True, many of those who knew the Norwegian explorer closely claimed that they saw clear signs of his mental turmoil. In particular, evidence of this could be his attempts at public justification, which were completely out of character for his proud and somewhat arrogant nature.

Some biographers are inclined to see evidence of unforgiven guilt in the circumstances of Amundsen's own death. It is known that in the summer of 1928 he went on an Arctic flight, which promised him certain death. The suspicion that he foresaw his own death in advance is aroused by the preparation he made. Not only did Amundsen put all his affairs in order and pay off his creditors, he also sold off all his property, as if he had no intention of returning.

The sixth continent today

One way or another, he discovered the South Pole, and no one will take this honor away from him. Nowadays, large-scale Scientific research. In the very place where triumph once awaited the Norwegians and great disappointment for the British, today there is an international polar station"Amundsen - Scott". Its name invisibly unites these two intrepid conquerors of extreme latitudes. Thanks to them, the South Pole on the globe is perceived today as something familiar and quite within reach.

In December 1959 it was concluded international treaty on Antarctica, originally signed by twelve states. According to this document, any country has the right to conduct scientific research throughout the continent south of the sixtieth latitude.

Thanks to this, today numerous research stations in Antarctica are developing the most advanced scientific programs. Today there are more than fifty of them. Scientists have at their disposal not only ground means control over environment, but also aviation and even satellites. The Russian Geographical Society also has its representatives on the sixth continent. Among the operating stations there are veterans, such as Bellingshausen and Druzhnaya 4, as well as relatively new ones, Russkaya and Progress. Everything suggests that great geographical discoveries do not stop today.

A brief history of how brave Norwegian and British explorers braved danger to reach cherished goal, only in general outline can convey all the tension and drama of those events. It is wrong to consider their fight only as a struggle of personal ambitions. Undoubtedly, the primary role in it was played by the thirst for discovery and built on true patriotism desire to establish the prestige of their country.

Evidence of the resilience of the human spirit, able to withstand such harsh conditions itself southern continent planets, stations in Antarctica - live and figuratively oases of warmth on the endless icy expanses of the continent. Antarctica is explored by 12 countries, and almost all have their own bases - seasonal or year-round. In addition to scientific research work, Antarctic stations also carry out other, no less honorable and difficult task, - reception of polar tourists. Whether on an Antarctic cruise or on the way to the South Pole, travelers have unique opportunity get acquainted with the life of polar explorers, live for several days in tent camps and make exciting excursions across the nearby expanses of Antarctica.

Union Glacier's main attraction is amazing beauty a runway accommodating multi-ton “Ilya” aircraft.

Amundsen-Scott Station

Amundsen-Scott station is the most famous Antarctic station. Its popularity is due to one simple fact: the station is located exactly at the South Pole of the Earth, and upon arriving here, you actually perform two tasks - to stand at the pole and get acquainted with polar life. In addition to its unique location, Amundsen-Scott is also known for being the first base in Antarctica, founded 45 years after Amundsen and Scott reached the South Pole of the planet. Among other things, the station is an example of high-tech construction in extremely difficult Antarctic conditions: inside there is room temperature, and jack piles allow the Amundsen-Scott to be raised as it becomes covered with snow. Tourists are welcome here: planes with travelers land at the local airfield in December - January. A tour of the station and the opportunity to send a letter home with a South Pole stamp are the main features of the base.

Vostok station

The unique Russian station “Vostok”, founded in 1957 among pristine snow-white spaces inner Antarctica, unfortunately, does not accept tourists. To put it bluntly, there are no conditions for frivolous entertainment here: the distance to the Pole is about 1200 km, the most heat throughout the year - just under -30 °C, as well as a total lack of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the air due to its location at an altitude of almost 3 km above sea level - these are just some of the details of her difficult life. However, the exclusivity of this place makes us talk about the station even beyond the possibility of visiting it: it was here that the lowest temperature in Antarctica was recorded - minus 89.2 °C. The only way to get to Vostok station is by signing up as a volunteer at the Institute for Arctic and Antarctic Research - so let’s dream for now...

Union Glacier Station

Strictly speaking, Union Glacier is not a station, but a tent base, operating only in the warm season. Its main purpose is to serve as a home for tourists arriving in Antarctica using American company via Chilean Punta Arenas. The main attraction of Union Glacier is the amazingly beautiful runway that receives multi-ton “Silts”. It sits right on the impressive thickness blue ice, which doesn’t even need to be leveled - its surface is so perfectly smooth. Logical name "Blue Ice" once again convinces you that you are in Antarctica - where else on the planet can a plane easily land on ice like that! Among other things, at Union Glacier tourists will find individual tents and utility modules, a canteen and toilets - by the way, the rules for using them invariably act as the main photographic attraction of the station.

Amundsen-Scott station: travel seasonality, life at the station, reviews of tours to the Amundsen-Scott station.

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“Place of residence - South Pole” - this is what the inhabitants of the American polar base “Amundsen-Scott” could rightfully write in their personal questionnaire. Founded in 1956 and continuously inhabited year-round ever since, Amundsen-Scott Station is an example of how humans can adapt to the most unfavorable conditions life. And not only adapt - build a comfortable home that can withstand the harsh climate of Antarctica for many years. In the era of commercial expeditions to the South Pole, the Amundsen-Scott became a host home for tourists who came to trample underfoot the extreme southern point Earth. Travelers spend only a few hours here, but during this time they manage to get acquainted with the amazing life of the station and even send a postcard home with the stamp “South Pole”.

A little history

Amundsen-Scott is the first Antarctic station in the interior of the continent. It was founded in 1956, 45 years after the conquest of the South Pole, and bears the name of the glorious pioneers of the icy continent - the Norwegian Roald Amundsen and the Englishman Robert Scott. At the time of its founding, the station was located exactly at 90° south latitude, but by now, due to the movement of ice, it has deviated slightly from the South Pole point, which is now located about 100 meters from the station.

The original station was built under the ice, and scientific activity was carried out there until 1975. Then a domed base was erected, which served as a home for polar explorers until 2003. And then it appeared here large-scale construction on jack piles, allowing the building to be raised as it becomes covered with snow. According to forecasts, it will last another 30-45 years.

The interiors here are no different from ordinary American “public places” - only massive doors that close like a safe indicate that this is happening in Antarctica.

Climate of the Amundsen-Scott station

The Amundsen-Scott station is located at an altitude of 2800 meters above sea level, which, taking into account the high rarity of the air in the South Pole region, turns into an actual 3500 meters, corresponding to the high mountain regions of the Earth.

The polar day lasts here from September 23 to March 21, and the peak of the “tourist season” occurs in December - January, when the temperature is most suitable for expeditions. At this time of year the thermometer does not show below -30 °C. Well, in winter there is about -60 °C and complete darkness, illuminated only by the northern lights.

Life at Amundsen-Scott Station

From 40 to 200 people permanently live on the Amundsen-Scott - scientists, researchers and professional polar explorers. IN summer period life here is in full swing - after all, outside the window it is a comfortable -22...-30 °C, and the sun shines around the clock. But for the winter, a little more than fifty people remain at the station to maintain its operation and continue scientific research. Moreover, from mid-February to the end of October, access here from outside world closed.

The station is literally crammed with high-tech equipment: there is an 11-kilometer antenna for observing cosmic storms, a super-powerful telescope and a drilling rig embedded more than two kilometers into the ice, used for experiments on neutrino particles.

What to see

Tourists are allowed into the Amundsen-Scott station only for a few hours. The interiors are no different from ordinary American “public places” - only massive doors that close like a safe indicate that this is happening in Antarctica. Canteen, gym, hospital, music studio, a laundry and a store, a greenhouse and a post office - that’s all the simple life.