Iceworld25 Aug 2025

S5 Ep4: Land of the rising sun - life at a Svalbard research station, with Iain Rudkin and Henry Burgess

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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Episoder(54)

S5 Ep12: Meet the carpenters of Antarctica

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, Nad...

5 Mai 29min

S5 Ep11: Can you be vegan in Antarctica?

Can you be plant-based in Antarctica? Can you go South if you have food allergies, or other dietary restrictions? What's on the menu when you're 1,000 miles from the nearest supermarket?In this episod...

7 Apr 33min

S5 Ep10: Living and working in the polar desert

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 ima...

2 Mar 31min

S5 Ep9: Fixing aircraft in Antarctica

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 Aircr...

16 Feb 28min

S5 Ep8: Christmas in Antarctica

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 ...

22 Des 202528min

S5 Ep7: What to wear in Antarctica

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 t...

24 Nov 202535min

S5 Ep6: Packing for Antarctica - packing tips from an experienced Antarctican, with Tom Davis-Merry and Ed Luke

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 su...

27 Okt 202529min

S5 Ep5: Training for Antarctica - secrets of the pre-deployment programme, with Michaela Boak

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 ...

22 Sep 202527min