Episodes

  • S5 Ep10: Living and working in the polar desert

    S5 Ep10: Living and working in the polar desert
    Mar 2 2026

    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.

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    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 British Antarctic Survey, hosted and recorded by marine biologist Nadia Frontier.

    Produced in partnership with Boffin Media.
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    31 mins
  • S5 Ep9: Fixing aircraft in Antarctica

    S5 Ep9: Fixing aircraft in Antarctica
    Feb 16 2026

    What does it take to keep aircraft flying at the bottom of the world?

    In this episode of Iceworld, Nadia is joined by Eli Arseneault and Jeremie Amurao, two aircraft engineers from Rocky Mountain Aircraft who are based at the British Antarctic Survey's Rothera Research Station. Together, they discuss the unique challenges of maintaining Twin Otter aircraft in one of the most demanding environments on Earth - from ski landings on sastrugi to troubleshooting snags in freezing temperatures.

    This is Eli's third Antarctic season, and Jeremie's first. They share what it's like to ferry a Twin Otter all the way from Calgary to Antarctica, why there's no such thing as a typical day in the Rothera hangar and how witnessing glacial retreat first-hand has changed their perspective on climate change.

    Tune in to hear about the camaraderie, the challenges, and why they believe the BAS Twin Otters are the finest in the world.
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    29 mins
  • S5 Ep8: Christmas in Antarctica

    S5 Ep8: Christmas in Antarctica
    Dec 22 2025
    What could be more festive than a white Christmas at the bottom of the world?

    In this special Christmas episode of ICEWORLD, Nadia is joined by two guests from Halley, Station Doctor Dani Hawarden and Station Leader Dan McKenzie. Together, they discuss what makes an Antarctic Christmas unique, from the elaborate homemade Secret Santa gifts, to the 7km Christmas morning run (that particular tradition can definitely stay in Antarctica!).

    For Dan, this marks his fifth Christmas in Antarctica, spent across three different research stations whereas for Dani, it’s her first Antarctic Christmas! Tune in to discover how the team at Halley create their own festive traditions at the bottom of the world.

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    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 British Antarctic Survey, hosted and recorded by marine biologist Nadia Frontier.

    Produced in partnership with Boffin Media; cover photo by Maciej Pietowski.
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    29 mins
  • S5 Ep7: What to wear in Antarctica

    S5 Ep7: What to wear in Antarctica
    Nov 24 2025
    Emma Pearce is a geophysicist… or a glaciologist - depending on who you speak to. What remains constant, however, is her dedication to understanding ice in Antarctica - and you can't do that without the right clothing!

    So, what do you wear to work when your office is on an Antarctic ice shelf? Emma discovered the answer involves far more than a trip to Primark. From base layers to extreme cold weather boots, preparing for Antarctic deployment means learning an entirely new approach to staying warm. Host Nadia Frontier speaks with Emma about the thorough preparation that goes into simply getting dressed when working in Antarctica.

    Emma also discusses her work on the RIFT-TIP project, where she spent six weeks living in a camp to study the Halloween Crack - a major fracture on the Brunt Ice Shelf - to understand how ice shelves break apart and what that means for our changing climate. When she's not studying ice cracks? She's crocheting pigeons of course!

    This episode explores what it takes to dress for Antarctica, Emma’s journey to working at British Antarctic Survey, and what it's like to study the constantly evolving cracks on the Brunt Ice Shelf.

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    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 British Antarctic Survey, hosted and recorded by marine biologist Nadia Frontier.

    Produced in partnership with Boffin Media.
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    36 mins
  • S5 Ep6: Packing for Antarctica - packing tips from an experienced Antarctican, with Tom Davis-Merry and Ed Luke

    S5 Ep6: Packing for Antarctica - packing tips from an experienced Antarctican, with Tom Davis-Merry and Ed Luke
    Oct 27 2025
    A bath mat, dark chocolate, photos and less books than you think.

    Tom Davis-Merry is about to head to Rothera Research Station in Antarctica to be a wintering Field Guide. We take a peek inside his suitcase as he prepares for the adventure ahead.

    Ed Luke was a previous wintering Field Guide at Rothera. He joins Tom and Nadia to share his tips for how to pack for life on the ice. He talks practical items, but also the the little luxuries and personal touches that make Antarctica feel like a home.

    Produced in partnership with Boffin Media; cover photo by Ed Luke.
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    30 mins
  • S5 Ep5: Training for Antarctica - secrets of the pre-deployment programme, with Michaela Boak

    S5 Ep5: Training for Antarctica - secrets of the pre-deployment programme, with Michaela Boak
    Sep 22 2025
    So, you're going to Antarctica. But what skills and training do you need to live and work there? That's the question that faces every person who is offered a job with British Antarctic Survey to work South - and there's a long to-do list, including two weeks of Pre-Deployment Training (PDT) at BAS HQ in Cambridge. During PDT, future-Antarcticans learn everything from polar hygiene to chemical safety and firefighting, as well as meeting the people they’ll be living with on station. Think "first day of school" nerves!
    In this episode, host Nadia Frontier meets Michaela Boak, Deployment Support Coordinator. They discuss how to prepare for deployment to Antarctica (including the importance of the ceilidh social), the support available during deployment, and how Michaela’s own experience South shaped her perspective on training the UK's Antarctic team.
    What are the challenges of preparing to work in such an extreme environment? How do the experts plan training that will keep everyone safe? And what training does it take to become an Antarctican?
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    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 British Antarctic Survey, hosted and recorded by marine biologist Nadia Frontier. Produced in partnership with Boffin Media.
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    27 mins
  • S5 Ep4: Land of the rising sun - life at a Svalbard research station, with Iain Rudkin and Henry Burgess

    S5 Ep4: Land of the rising sun - life at a Svalbard research station, with Iain Rudkin and Henry Burgess
    Aug 25 2025
    Journey to the top of the world as Iceworld ventures into the Arctic for the first time, exploring the UK's only Arctic research station at Ny-Ålesund in Svalbard. Located at 78° north, this unique international research village brings together ten countries in one of the world's most rapidly changing environments. From retreating glaciers to beluga whales passing by the station dock, Ny-Ålesund offers a front-row seat to climate change in action.
    Host Nadia Frontier speaks with Iain Rudkin, Arctic Operations Manager currently stationed in Svalbard, and Henry Burgess, Head of NERC's Arctic Office, calling in from Cambridge. They discuss the dramatic seasonal contrasts from temperate summers to -30°C winters, the challenges of managing a small but impactful research station, and the powerful storytelling opportunities when politicians witness first-hand the open waters where solid ice once stretched across the fjord.
    This episode reveals how Svalbard serves as both a window into our changing planet and a testament to international scientific cooperation at the cutting edge of climate research.
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    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 British Antarctic Survey, hosted and recorded by marine biologist Nadia Frontier. Produced in partnership with Boffin Media.
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    31 mins
  • S5 Ep3: Keeping Halley Research Station online, with Dominic Jaques

    S5 Ep3: Keeping Halley Research Station online, with Dominic Jaques
    Jul 28 2025
    Dominic Jaques' job is like being a remote-control engineer for one of the most isolated places on Earth! As a computer engineer at Halley VI Research Station on Antarctica's Brunt Ice Shelf, Dom has to be ready to look after the systems and science at Halley when it's staffed in summer, and when the station is empty and automated in Antarctic Winter.
    Dom talks to host Nadia Frontier about his six-year Antarctic career, from the technical challenges of keeping an automated research station running 9,000 miles away, to the more unexpected parts of his job - like stepping in as head chef during the Covid season and building his own private igloo that became a legendary invite-only tea spot. From debugging micro-turbine software that fails in extreme cold, to learning how to make bread that actually fits in the toasters, this is a job that demands both serious technical expertise and serious creativity in problem-solving.
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    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 British Antarctic Survey, hosted and recorded by marine biologist Nadia Frontier. Produced in partnership with Boffin Media. Episode cover by
    Maciej Piętowski.
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    23 mins