The 21st of June marks one of the most significant dates in the Antarctic calendar - Midwinter. It's the moment the darkness stops deepening and the light begins, slowly, to return. To mark the occasion, Nadia Frontier is joined by three people currently spending their winter down south: Josh, an electrician at Rothera Research Station on the Antarctic Peninsula; Catherine, a zoological field assistant tracking leopard seals at the tiny four-person station of Bird Island; and Cami, a marine biologist at King Edward Point on South Georgia.

Between them, they span three very different Antarctic experiences and share what it really feels like to live through a polar winter, how their stations are marking the occasion, and why Midwinter can mean even more than Christmas when you're this far from home. From secret gift-making and hedgehog halloumi to French political campaigns and kit bag escapology, this is a warm and joyful celebration of community, resilience and Antarctic life.

If you’re thinking of applying for a job in Antarctica, the medical assessment process might feel daunting – especially if you have an existing condition. But as Dr Matt Warner, Director of the British Antarctic Survey Medical Unit, explains in this episode – its to help you get south, not to stop you.

Nadia Frontier sits down with Matt to find out exactly what the assessment involves, how conditions ranging from physical to mental health are evaluated, and what happens when things go wrong in one of the most remote places on Earth. Along the way, they cover everything from how BAS kept its stations Covid-free before a vaccine existed, and why it can take longer to evacuate someone from Antarctica than from the International Space Station.

Whether you have a medical condition you’re worried about, questions about confidentiality, or you simply want to understand what it takes to be cleared for deployment – this episode is the place to start.

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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.

What does it take to be a carpenter in Antarctica – when the nearest hardware store is thousands of miles away, and the weather can turn a sheet of plywood into a sail?

In this episode of Iceworld, Nadia speaks to Phill and Henry, two carpenters keeping British Antarctic Survey stations in tip-top shape in some of the most extreme conditions on Earth. They discuss the unique challenges of their jobs – from rebuilding a jetty knee-deep in icy water, to dealing with unexpected building requests from scientists.

With deliveries of supplies coming only once every two years, careful planning, creativity, and teamwork are as essential as screws and timber...

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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.