Quote:
Originally Posted by Chula Vista
Anthony Bourdain, Parts Unkown: Antarctica
One of the best, and most challenging episodes he's ever done.
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Amazing how many people actually live there. There's one main complex on the coast that houses about 1,500 people during the 'warmer' months and then about 150 during the winter. Then there's another smaller complex with maybe 100 people that live in the only area of the continent that's not covered in ice. And then there's one about 150 yards from the pole itself that houses 200 people.
All 3 are made up of a combination of scientists, and all purpose staff (cooking, cleaning, laundry, machine operators, etc.)
At the end of each summer a Navy ice breaker creates a path for a huge cargo ship that drops off enough supplies to the main complex to last all 3 complexes for a full year. They use helicopters to distribute the supplies.
Fun fact: Right at the pole is the clearest part of the planet for looking to the stars. They just installed one of the most powerful telescopes in the world there to study the largest black hole in our solar system. They can actually see **** getting sucked into the hole.