Antarctica
Researching at the ends of the earth, we examine human health in earth’s most extreme environments
Crossing Antarctica poses one of the greatest stress challenges to the human body, as well as a real-world testing ground of novel tools to track health outside of the laboratory.
New scientific advances allow personal health to be characterized in unprecedented detail, while technology can track environmental stress and physiological responses in real time.
Multiomic Sampling
Insights from expedition members will contribute a new baseline health context for population and epidemiological studies, as well as primary examples of personalized stress tracking that can translate to other extreme environments such as space travel.
Multiomic Observation
Biological sampling, psychological surveys, and wearable technology allow comprehensive health monitoring.
Psychological Surveys
Wearables
Stool
Urine
Blood
Saliva
Studying expedition members as they push themselves beyond normal physical limits will help:
- Establishing ranges for personalized measures under extreme stress
- Examining environmental effects across many biological systems at once
- Elucidating biomarkers of resilience and recovery
Longitudinal Profiling
Acquiring diverse samples, surveys, and wearable data across many timepoints will allow individual reactions to stress, fatigue, and extended exercise to be characterized.
The Playground
Relatively few people have seen Antarctica. A myth until the early 1800s, the ice-covered southern continent is difficult to get to and hostile to most life. Earth’s fifth-largest yet least populated continent, with around 5,000 people in the summer and around 1,000 in the winter.
Exposing the human microbiome to rare elements & extreme atmosphere
More than 3000 km from the nearest continent, the explorers will be exposed to some of the following conditions:
Air Quality
Extremely Clean Air, Depleted Ozone, Heightened CO2 levels
Weather and Light
The coldest, driest, and windiest continent
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24/7 sunshine: Land of Polar Days and Nights: Due to extreme latitude, the sun is continuously above the horizon for the entire month of November
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High wind speeds
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Icy terrain: 98% of Antarctica is covered by the Antarctic ice sheet which contains about 90% of the world’s ice
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Extreme cold: The temperature in Antarctica has dropped to temperatures as extreme as −94.7 °C or −138.5 °F, (as measured from space)
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Why should we care about climate change?
This expedition supports science and discoveries which allow us to better understand and preserve pristine environments like Antarctica.
Animals
Hourglass Dolphin, Weddell Seal, Crabeater Seal, Leopard Seal, Ross Seal, Mites, Nematodes, Tardigrades
Sea Life
Sperm Whale, Blue Whale, Killer Whale, Squid, Sei Whale, Marble Notothenia, Antarctic Toothfish, Pike Icefish
Birds
Emperor Penguin, Adelie penguin, Gentoo Penguin, Antarctic Petrel, Snow Petrel, Skua, Arctic Tern
Plants and Small Organic Matter
Lichen, Moss, Alga, Bacteria, Fungi, Protista
The 4,200 Kilometer Kite-Ski Journey
Using parasail kites for locomotion in the windy Antarctic environment, and towing their equipment on ~200 kilogram sleds attached to their waists, two expedition members will journey across the most inhospitable terrain on the planet.
Insights from expedition members will provide real-world examples to improve personalized stress tracking even in extreme environments.
The Team
Chasing the Light Expedition
A 4,200km Scientific Crossing of Antarctica
Justin Packshaw is leading an 80 day expedition to kite-ski across 4,200km of Antarctica via the ‘South Pole of Inaccessibility’ and the ‘South Pole’. They will be a team of two so it is going to be a proper old-school adventure, long in duration and unsupported – linking extreme human endeavor, science and cutting edge technology together.
The expedition is focusing on showcasing research, science, and sustainability. You can follow the team and their progress as they cross Antarctica at www.chasingthelight2021.com
Partners & Collaborators
An international team is bringing together their unique expertises across scientific disciplines to create the greatest impact from these samples and data.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration
The European Space Agency
Laboratory for Autonomy – Brain Exchange – University of Central Florida
University of Arizona – College of Medicine
Expedition Coordination
Chasing the Light,
Antarctica 2021
JORO – Journeys of Discovery
Antarctica Logistics and Expeditions
Snyder Lab
Exploring the farthest reaches of bioscience and the human genome
FAQs
How long is the expedition?
The expedition will cover 4,200km of distance over ~80-90 days using parasail kites for locomotion, and will reach an elevation of more than 12k feet (3,700 meters).
What is the South Pole of Inaccessibility?
The South Pole of Inaccessibility is the most distant point on the contact from any ocean. There is an average temperature of -58C and the location is more than 3,700 meters (12k feet) in elevation above sea level. An abandoned Soviety era base (circa 1950s) is located there, and includes a bust of Lenin.
How will the expedition be supplied on their journey?
The two expedition members will be unsupported on their journey, and will tow all of their gear, food, and research supplies for the 80 days behind themselves on ~200kg sleds.
How far will the expedition members travel each day?
Travel in the Antarctic environment is difficult and frought with weather variation. This is especially pronounced as wind provides the primary form of locomotion to the kites, and can vary in intensity and direction. Some days the expedition may be stuck and make no progress, while others they may cover >100km. They are equiped with skis and poles that are capable of cross country locomotion under human power, but wind and kites will be the primary source of travel.
Collaborating on
Groundbreaking Discoveries
Updates From The Field
Antarctica data results have arrived!
We are excited to share results from the epic expedition.
Reaching The South Pole
Justin and Jamie as they arrived at the South Pole last weekend after their inspiring journey across Antarctica
Congratulations Justin and Jamie!
The EPIC expedition has been completed!
Follow the Expedition