Antarctica going in darkness for 4 months has got space scientists excited here is why

The South Pole, Antarctica goes through a period of astronomical polar night, a period of continuous night where there is no twilight or anything. This occurs from May 11 to August 1, when the sun is between 18° and 23° 26’ below the horizon.

While an experience like this would freak the living daylights out of everyone, a 12-member team of researchers from the European Space Agency (ESA) is embarking on their mission to Concordia research station in Antarctica, to experience living and working in isolation for 6 months for Space research.

How is this experience related to space research you might ask? Well, the Italian-French outpost Concordia is located 3233 m above sea level where temperatures can drop to –80°C in the complete frozen darkness outside. The sun disappears behind the horizon for four months. No supplies or people can be flown in during the winter months, and the high altitude causes the crew to experience chronic hypobaric hypoxia or lack of oxygen in the brain.

ESA sponsored medical doctor Hannes Hagson and his crewmates for this mission, because of the extreme conditions mimicking conditions in space and other planets, Hannes will be facilitating biomedical experiments on himself and his crewmates to understand how humans cope with living in extreme isolation.