READING FURTHER
The Chilling Search for Solar System Secrets WANTED: A research assistant for a scientific team studying the origin of the solar system. Must have a keen eye and a tolerance for cold weather. Ability to drive a snowmobile a plus. How can driving a snowmobile help someone study the solar system? Snowmobile skills are important to scientists who hunt for meteorites in Antarctica. A meteorite is a naturally occurring piece of rock or metal that falls to Earth from space. Studying meteorites yields important clues about the solar system.
Every year, scientists travel to the continent of Antarctica to search for meteorites. Although many visit during the summer, temperatures are still so cold that the scientists must dress in special clothing to stay warm.
In December of every year, scientists leave the comforts of home to live in the coldest place on Earth for two months. December is the middle of the Antarctic “summer,” and because of Earth’s tilted axis, the sun stays above the horizon during the summer. Even with the sun up 24 hours a day, the temperature is usually well below 0°C, and water stays frozen! Because of the extreme cold, life for the meteorite-hunting scientists in Antarctica is challenging. They live in small, specially-designed tents that are heated by tiny camp stoves. Even with the heat from the stoves, the scientists sleep fully-clothed in insulated sleeping bags. For some scientists, the only electricity they have is the small amount generated by solar panels on the tents. With no running water, there are no flush toilets, so the “facilities” consist of a bucket in a tent. When the scientists go out to look for meteorites, they must dress for survival in layers of long underwear, fleece, thick coats, and insulated boots over thick socks. Heads are protected by hats, scarves, and ski masks designed to cover almost every bit of skin. Scientists’ sunglasses cover even more skin and block out the bright, glaring sunlight reflected off the snow.
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Lesson 8