Every wonder what it’d be like a scientist roaming uncharted territory in search the Earth’s secrets?

Professor Smith and his team of scientists are doing just that on their month-long cruise through the Antarctic unknown.  The expedition is studying the impacts of climate change on marine communities, and is charted via blog - complete with captivating visuals of scenery and creatures rarely seen by man - for all us landlubbers to enjoy.

http://uhmanoa-antarctic-research.blogspot.com/

The team of scientists is a conglomeration of surprisingly-athletic egg-heads (you can see them playing basketball in a helicopter hanger prior to departing) from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and North Carolina State University, with contributors from the U.K, Croatia and Brazil.  Aboard the Nathaniel B. Palmer – an icebreaking ship – temperatures are well below freezing (it’s Winter in the Southern hemisphere, not that Summer in the Antarctic is all that balmy).  And the demanding schedule doesn’t make things much easier, with the team working near 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

It may have you wondering why they would want to do it.  But for these researchers, the chance of understanding how the Earth works – and figuring out how to better protect it’s fragile ecosystems – it's well worth it.

Got questions for the team?  Email them at sea at expeditions@soest.hawaii.edu .