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Doesn't that post explain that this is just what they do, and that melting the snow is pretty involved?
There's also limited fuel that they have to conserve, so infinite snow does not mean infinite water.
If you're interested in the people and personalities and activities at the South Pole, the Werner Herzog film Encounters at the End of the World is a revealing and interesting documentary. It includes a fascinating part about a deluded penguin choosing to leave its flock and begin a fatal journey towards the center of the island... - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encounters_at_the_End_of_the_W... - https://www.imdb.c…
FYI, many people who spent time at McMurdo around the filming of Encounters are not big fans. The interviews were intentionally set up to make people look weird. The narration implies there's something wrong with "polar people." You might find us dissapointingly normal. A Year On Ice is a more accurate representation. I'm in Frozen Planet, but you can't believe all the narration in that either.
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On Mars you have soil you can process into something plants can use (note: needs to be washed free of its perchlorate contamination first) whereas at the South Pole there is no soil that is not buried under hundreds of meters of ice. You can't just create a heated greenhouse on top of the ice because it will melt the ice underneath. They've already done tests where they've grown plants in Martial soil simulant.
>at the South Pole there is no soil that is not buried under hundreds of meters of ice. https://www.scenic.com.au/news/seasons-of-antarctica https://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2015/scientists-heading-t... https://www.sciencealert.com/here-s-how-antarctica-managed-t...
Every time I see people get excited about Martian human habitation, I note a lack of discussion of the essential intermediate step: a fully self-sustaining base in the most inhospitable parts of Earth.
Where are the Biosphere++ projects?
And Amundsen-Scott has it easy: pressure, oxygen levels, and dust aren't a problem! (granted: Martian equator has easier temperatures).
Also, I've long wondered what is the comparable level of yearly insolation (for sustainable power) in the South Pole compares to Mars' equator?
The shower page was interesting, you get 4 minutes of shower time a week https://brr.fyi/posts/showering-at-the-south-pole I'm surprised they can't just melt snow water to run things like showers. Oddly no suggestions on the page about doubling up your shower with someone else to have longer or more frequent showers.
There's only a few centimeters of snow per year at the pole, it's a high desert, and digging the ice out is probably not worth the energy?
There seems to be plenty of snow available, if you want to melt it. Energy is the issue.
Is there anything a C-130 cannot do? What an incredible aircraft. That landing, complete with reverse thrust, was incredible.
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There's also limited fuel that they have to conserve, so infinite snow does not mean infinite water.
With a 30 degree delta between temperature and wind chill, I'd think they're ripe for wind turbines.
The shower page was interesting, you get 4 minutes of shower time a week https://brr.fyi/posts/showering-at-the-south-pole I'm surprised they can't just melt snow water to run things like showers. Oddly no suggestions on the page about doubling up your shower with someone else to have longer or more frequent showers.
2 people in a shower doesn't effectively decrease water usage per person, and the logistics overhead would eat into the 4 minutes.
These stories about the logistics at Amundsen-Scott are a fascinating glimpse at the level of logistical complexity that'd be required for an off-planet (Moon, Mars...) base. Every time I see people get excited about Martian human habitation, I note a lack of discussion of the essential intermediate step: a fully self-sustaining base in the most inhospitable parts of Earth. Where are the Biosphere++ projects? And Amu…
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I wonder if there are libido-inhibiting drugs you can take, and whether that would help.
The British Army allegedly used Bromide in tea for this purpose in WW2 [0] [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bromide#Folk_and_passé_medicin...
Two old vets (in their 90s) are sitting in a bench
The first says - Mate, do you remember the bromide they gave us in the military?
The second - yeah?
The first guy - Well it started to work.