Thanksgiving Day (in Antarctica) blizzard

Editor's note: Marine geophysicist Robin Bell is leading an expedition to Antarctica to explore a mysterious mountain range beneath the ice sheet. Following is the fifth of her updates on the effort as part of ScientificAmerican.com's in-depth report on the "Future of the Poles." McMURDO STATION, ANTARCTICA -- In the U.S. Thanksgiving, with the traditional turkey dinner, is held on a Thursday. Here in Antarctica, the festive meal for the 1000 residents of McMurdo is served the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The Saturday holiday provides a rare two-day weekend for a community that works at a grueling pace. This Thanksgiving Saturday brings a howling blizzard up the McMurdo Sound. The ‘Turkey Trot’ out onto the sea ice is postponed because of the increasing winds and decreasing visibility. Even our Canadian gravity engineers have... [read full story]