ANTARCTIC NUCLEAR REACTOR AT McMURDO STATION 26042

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This fascinating film was made by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Atomic Energy Commission and the U.S. Navy in 1962. In that year the U.S. Navy delivered a nuclear reactor to Antarctica to power the McMurdo Station. The plant, like the nearby Scott's Discovery Hut, was prefabricated in modules. Engineers designed the components to weigh no more than 30,000 pounds (13,608 kg) each and to measure no more than 8 ft 8 inches by 8 ft 8 inches by thirty feet. A single core no larger than an oil drum served as the heart of the nuclear reactor. These size and weight restrictions were intended to allow the reactor to be delivered in an LC-130 Hercules aircraft. However, the components were actually delivered by ship.
The reactor generated 1.8 MW of electrical power and reportedly replaced the need for 1,500 US gallons (5,700 L) of oil daily. Engineers applied the reactor's power, for instance, in producing steam for the salt water distillation plant. The reactor, designated PM-3A, was designed and built by the Martin Company. There were problems with the plant from the beginning. It underperformed to expectations and frequently fell victim to power failures. It also raised concerns in New Zealand, where U.S. Navy ships transporting the fuel and waste under Operation Deep Freeze would dock for a few days while in transit.
As a result of the multiple malfunctions of the PM-3A as well as it's clean up activities, there have been concerns that the health of personnel involved with the reactor may have been adversely affected. Although members of the Navy Nuclear Propulsion Unit were continuously monitored for radiation, many of the military support crew were not. As such, a study was undertaken by the Department of Defense to estimate an upper bound on radiation exposure for these individuals based on the worst cases of the available data from McMurdo. Levels of radioactivity in the water were monitored once the PM-3A was used in the production of drinking water. During the first few years of fresh water production (between 1967 and 1969) there were several instances of abnormally high amounts of tritium in the drinking water. In addition, there was a case of abnormally high amounts of long-lived beta activity in the drinking water in 1969.
In addition to problems with the drinking water and environmental contamination, there were several recorded instances of crew radiation exposure, some resulting in injury. During the plant operation, 223 reports of abnormal levels of radiation were recorded. Of these cases, 14 resulted in injury and 123 resulted in exposure in the amount of 0.350 rem over a period of 7 days. This is a substantial amount of radiation when it is estimated that, one average, a typical yearly dose from background sources is 0.240 rem. The remaining 86 instances were abnormal radiation levels detected within the plant and its immediate surroundings.
All of these factors led to PM-3A existing on very shaky ground almost from the day it began operating. The coup de grace, however, came in 1972 when a leak in the reactor's pressure vessel was discovered during a routine inspection. A closer look uncovered cracks throughout the reactor, caused by failures in some of the welds, and the decision was made to close and dismantle PM-3A. Disposal presented other headaches. Decommissioned nuclear plants are usually entombed in concrete, but provisions in the Antarctic Treaty made this impossible, so the dismantled plant, along with some of the contaminated ground surrounding it, was shipped to a disposal site in California.
The nuclear reactor installed at McMurdo Station was the first and only to operate on the Antarctic continent. It operated for 10 years and greatly reduced the need for fossil fuels in the Antarctic. Although it was initially thought to be a cost saving device, its unreliability, large operational crew, and large clean up proved it to be an expensive experiment. As a memorial, a plaque now stands at the site of the nuclear power station in McMurdo commemorating the people and services of the PM-3A.
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[@cheryldahl9192]

I ate ice cream while watching this in the middle of winter. I'm so cold.

[@nickhoagland6568]

This reminds me of something we would have watched on the film projector in 6th grade on a day when the teacher didn’t feel like teaching. With that said - Very enjoyable to watch. Thank you so much for posting it

[@russwentz3957]

Yes, I remember those days. "Yay, we get to watch a film!" I loved those films and actually payed attention to them.

[@rowanmoormann9532]

I absolutely agree 💟

[@kevinmichaelcallihansr5053]

I watch a lot of films/movies and was glad when seeing this film was saved, so gratitude for KZbin! And those who post/share, reasonable films based on matters some of us read or learned about via life experiences.

[@PeriscopeFilm]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@townsendmedia]

After 10 years of operation, the PM-3A was permanently shut down in 1972, achieving only half of the expected design life of 20 years. [1] The next step was clean up of the reactor site. The PM-3A and generated radioactive waste could not remain at McMurdo due to the internationally agreed upon Antarctic Treaty which prevents both nuclear weapons testing as well as nuclear waste dumping in the Antarctic. [7] As such, a large-scale effort was undertaken to remove the reactor components, buildings, and contaminated soil for a total of 365 metric tons of radioactive waste to the continental United States. [7] It was later determined that there were indeed cracks in the containment vessel which leaked coolant water into the crushed gravel that had been used as the reactor shield which is what resulted in such a large area of contamination. [4] As such, more than 9000 cubic meters of contaminated soil was relocated to the continental US. [1] In total, seven enriched uranium fuel cores were shipped to McMurdo, three of which had yet to be used as the plant was expected to operate for several more years. [7] The reactor cores, components, and highly radioactive gravel that was used to shield the reactor were shipped to the Department of Energy Savannah River Plant in South Carolina. [1] The remaining low-level contaminated soil was shipped to the Naval base at Port Hueneme, California. [1] The clean up operation lasted until 1979 as work on the site could be performed only during the austral summer. [7]

[@13orrax]

what about the murderous winds?

[@townsendmedia]

@@13orrax Perhaps on Ross Island there are murderous winds, but in Antarctica we may never know. "THEY" Lie Lie Lie! p.s. were there murderous winds in The Garden of Eden?

[@horsebee1]

Repeated from the official play book but as I was there summer of 1979 there was no work going on at the site other that the repair of the RO intake line which over the winter had frozen due to the failure of the heat taper. That was what I worked on. Make no mistake the area was and still is hot. Removing the ground underneath the reactor is a major undertaking as it is frozen permafrost made up of volcanic gravel. You cant just move it with a doser or excavator as you normally would. It has to be drilled and blasted first then the lose material removed before it refreezes. The point I was making was that we were never informed of the risks that we were taking working on the site nor were we told of the problems that they had had with the reactor.

[@townsendmedia]

@Evan Hodge Probably so. Things have been going down hill ever since and Lazy Government employees and management have been milking the public funds while doing no work to maintain equipment and providing basic services. The Ants are not happy! Neither are the Bees!

[@PatHaskell]

@Evan Hodge Austral has nothing to do with ants🙄

[@horsebee1]

And when we had to work on the site where the reactor was we were only told that it had been removed due to international pressure. We were not told about the problems and leaks that had plagued the plant from day one or the ship loads of rubble that had to be removed or the increased background radiation that still plagues the area.

[@gregorymalchuk272]

@Fred C. Scroll You do realize that the combustion gases and fly ash of fossil fuel power plants release more radiation from long buried radioactive heavy elements than do all the nuclear power plants, INCLUDING Chernobyl and Fukushima. I eagerly await high temperature, fast breeder reactors that can split the trans-uranic elements and actinides and result in waste that only needs to be stored for 300 years rather than 10,000.

[@gregorymalchuk272]

@Fred C. Scroll I am not a big advocate of sodium used in direct conjunction with a steam cycle, it is a recipe for disaster. I am an advocate of helium or lead-bismuth cooled fast reactors. You still haven't addressed that fossil fuel combustion releases more radiation than nuclear power plants, including the Chernobyl and Fukushima.

[@gregorymalchuk272]

@Fred C. Scroll What does Kirk Sorenson say about PWRs? My chief criticisms of them are a wasteful fuel cycle, poor thermal efficiency of their low temperature, saturated steam cycle, and lack of online refueling, not so much safety.

[@cymbala6208]

@@gregorymalchuk272 1. The isotopes released from nuclear accidents impose a much higher threat to humans esp. children (iodine, plutonium) than natural occurring isotopes from uranium/thorium decay because they often accumulate in vulnerable organs. 2. We should not only refer to radioactivity that has been released from nuclear power stations but we should also remember the amounts of radioactive waste that might be released and will be a risk for 20000 years.

[@skywayminicabs6292]

that might have been why the international pressure to remove it , do you think ?

[@robertr.hasspacher7731]

What an excellent documentary with a world class musical score.

[@ChemEDan]

1:48 "Melt the ice" Humanity: And I took that personally

[@norahjaneeast5450]

aren’t there Penguins as well as some seals down there

[@user-bw3fl7fj9w]

Yes, exactly what I thought

[@satanofficial3902]

Penguins are thick as fleas at the North Pole.

[@RohrAtom]

@Jeremy Kirkpatrick You didn't watch the film, did you?

[@RohrAtom]

@Jeremy Kirkpatrick fak

[@YeaDatDrill]

At 11:40 penguins only live in the Anartic (South Pole) and Polar Bears only in the Arctic (North Pole) they wouldn’t survive there in the south!

[@sliph73]

thank you for uploading all these video awesome channel

[@Dragonslayer-xn1qg]

I was in McMurdo in 1977/78 during the Summer season. I remember hearing about this failed nuclear power plant.

[@waywardgeologist2520]

Inside of learning from this and improving the technology, they decided to stop it. The reactor should have had a secondary containment.

[@kestaskuliukas5296]

Im half way through and we’re still looking at penguins moving to orchestra music .. Im not complaining but this is more about Antarctica than nuclear reactors

[@mikeyzero2439]

"Lifeless, empty desert" - except for all the animals and people.

[@patrickbateman7453]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKnSf2ykaNuZZ7M

[@seanedwards8406]

Designed built and delivered in a year.....Now it takes 20..

[@SPA926]

Holy moly

[@gheart8278]

Great video! Thank you

[@PeriscopeFilm]

Glad you liked it! Love our channel? Help us save and post more orphaned films! Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/PeriscopeFilm Even a really tiny contribution can make a difference.

[@PaulWLint]

So suddenly all of you who have never been there are experts on Nuclear power and the Antarctic? Give me a break!

[@berto2174]

Lol shut up grandma 👵

[@556-z2m]

They need to revisit this idea with regards to the current world energy crisis, something that can withstand the climate, surely it can be done with 21st century technology…

[@qtig9490]

Lol "no animal lives here" "nothing bigger than a bug" ... um at 2:58 I think those are birds flying around. I wish Mystery Science Theater would have spoofed this one :)

[@davidthelander1299]

He is talking about inland critters. Not things that live on floating sea ice

[@johncarper2816]

@@davidthelander1299 Precisely. Having been lucky enough to visit McMurdo my first thought was, "What about the seals and penguins?" But then quickly you realize that the narration specifically says "land animal", it's clear that they and the skuas are of the sea or air, not "land" per se. So no, I don't personally see this one as MST3k 'bot fodder at all.

[@user-mt9tn1ni4g]

I'm like 8 minutes into this video and who would believe with all this exploration and all these country exploring Antarctica it took them 70 years to realize there was a live active molten lava poured in Antarctica there's actually more than one but yeah research that

[@joeconrad9147]

You should tell the nice people Mcmerdo is on Ross Island

[@Omnihil777]

Decomissioned in 1972 after only 10 years, half of the minimal expectancy, and leaving behind 9000m³ contaminated earth, caused by a leaky reactor vessel, all had to be brought back into the US, but the site is still radioactive, all in all: great idea. Pfff.

[@brianarbenz1329]

In those days, the universal motto about safety of nuclear power was "Don't Ask."

[@thetonybones]

Is it safe to go back to document or is it like the moon, best left to way back times?

[@Aboard_and_Abroad]

gotta remember Byrd found 'unlmited coal' in antarctica in 1946

[@user-mt9tn1ni4g]

Yeah everybody needs to sign that ""treaty""

[@pbjandahighfive]

I know it was a different time and different cultures have different values, but I can't help but feel like those people hunting that Blue Whale all kind of really suck. I'm not a vegetarian by any means, but Blue Whales and many other whale species as well are incredibly intelligent. It just seems horrible to do that to such a smart and gentle creature.

[@mayipleaseask1183]

PJB if you're Not Vegan then by default you are an ANIMAL ABUSER! No Different to Whalers 🐋 OR those who love eating Dogs 🐶 Time to Choose Compassion over Cruelty

[@pbjandahighfive]

@@mayipleaseask1183 Cope and seethe.

[@ADDMEONPSN]

That's a lie Antarctica has green land.

[@epicguy228]

No, Denmark has Greenland

[@donotreplydawgs]

North*

[@ballisticdan]

Awesome. Thanks

[@chrisincalnito6882]

Penguins?

[@tritiumrecords717]

The blue whale the most magnificent creature on the planet. It and the emperor penguin must have hitched a ride to Noah's ark with the ac just blasting..joking a side.. those boys paved the way for the digital age...

[@jasondashney]

The blue whale is also found at the equator. Just saying.

[@SanFranciscoFatboy]

the whale killing wasn't a welcome sight.....damn

[@moobrien1747]

I forgot about this horror.

[@sriutari5128]

Allohuladzi kholaqo sabnga shamaawaati wa minal ardhi mislahunna, yatanazzalul amru bainahunna lita'lamuu... Annallooha ngala kulli syai ingqodiiru wa annallooha qod a haa tho bi kulli syai in ngilma sky has seven layers by vertically then earth has seven layers by horizontal ( and on earth we know this layers is ice landscape of rings) welcome to truth brother n sister :)

[@fredgunderson4535]

The people need to intelligently demand that their government use debt free money. USA 1846-1913 Larry

[@itsmetheherpes1750]

what is this all about ?

[@GroovyVideo2]

my father was SAC pilot at Thule - reactor that was there is at bottom of ocean was put or barge and sunk - military here to f stuff up and hide it

[@justaskmike4602]

Nothing like a dame

[@JaseCJay]

below 60 deg south latitude, no land creatures bigger than a bug... cue seagull!

[@willb3698]

Yes - I thought that. Almost on top of his head!

[@TheRadguru]

I saw that too

[@Memy001]

and then they mention the seals, sea lions, and penguins moments later, and show a scientist picking red moss (or some flower).

[@jessewrites17792]

It's theedge of this realm, not the bottom of a globe 😂.

[@joshdd2142]

#THETHING 👽😳

[@arthurcantrell1954]

I don’t think the sea would rise is the ice melted! The water doesn’t rise in a glass when your ice cubes melt why would it in the ocean? Other than that love the film😃

[@CoastalSphinx]

Most of the ice in Antarctica is on top of its land area, above sea level. So it's like putting a fork across the top of the glass, then putting an ice cube on the fork. Because the ice isn't floating in the water, melting the ice will raise the water level.

[@markcampbell7577]

When the knowledge of Edison generators and dynamos power plants was resurrected in the 1970s we allowed the clean and inexpensive power plants to be buried by nuclear power plants.

[@kevinmichaelcallihansr5053]

Who gets the $5.99 per month?

[@PeriscopeFilm]

These monies will go towards acquiring, scanning and sharing more rare and endangered films!

[@annakeye]

9:40 "And thar she blows [...] Home of the blue whale. The most magnificent and awesome creature on the Earth!" Best we kill it then.

[@DonaldSleightholme]

i was told that stars couldn’t be seen from space because of camera light exposure 🤔

[@willb3698]

Not unless you have very good kit (including eyes). Otherwise it's like pointing your average smartphone at the night sky = one, two or no stars.

[@Suckmyjagon]

I’m calling bologna. If there were any valuables down there some one would have broken the treaty. I think they were told that they were not going to ruin that piece and someone told them to stay away . The people living under the ice sheet .

[@chrisadler3132]

Uncle Sam paraphernalia and his shit

[@PeterPete]

50 years + man has continuously been on antarctica and what 's he got to show for it? Absolutely nothing. What a waste of time and manpower - still, least it gives people something to do, keeps their minds off their problems.

[@epicguy228]

At least they don't have Covid over there.

[@PeterPete]

@@epicguy228 there's no COVID where I live either.

[@epicguy228]

@@PeterPete Where do you live, New Zealand?

[@PeterPete]

@@epicguy228 i live at home in uk and my home is a covid free zone!!

[@PeterPete]

@@epicguy228 the madness of covid resides outside my home!

[@rrhone]

Great spot for a reactor, huh? Seems like it would be a perfect match for the environment. Have a couple of those to power a small city down there. Its risky though. .Solar Cells are the ultimate answer so with all the wind mills and solar, we can't afford nuclear power plants. Too much paranoia about them exists so if we don't need them, its adios my friend.

[@ozloon2000]

haw many months of darkness when the wind does not blow when it does 120kph bye bye wind generator have a look at molten salt reactor

[@louvarricchio780]

I totally disagree. Solar energy is the least efficient way to generate power. Nuclear energy makes perfect sense just about everywhere; less fuel, more power. Modern reactor designs are far safer than the 1950s "submarine" reactor designs we live with today. Plus, the so-called "nuclear waste problem" has been greatly exaggerated for decades for political reasons.

[@epicguy228]

@@louvarricchio780 Solar is far less effective, but it's safer. Nuclear is the most effective power source, but it requires massive amounts of upkeep. Either way, they're both clean energy sources.

[@Ailuk]

This comment section is filled with A: People who worked at the reactor B: People who think the reactor was a disaster C: Conspiracy Theorists D: People who are just interested in Mc Murdo station and Antarctica

[@ricardobautista-garcia8492]

D.

[@epicguy228]

I've seen far too many people deny the existence of radiation on here. Not just nuclear power, radiation as a whole.

[@TrapperAaron]

It's amazing the number of people who worked on this 1 obscure reactor at bottom of the earth

[@markmeece6396]

E: and then there's you.

[@Ailuk]

@@markmeece6396 Nah I'm part of the D group

[@horsebee1]

In the 1970's I worked on the site of the reactor helping to repair the RO line. We were never told that there had been problems or that it leaked. We were unknowingly exposed to what ever junk was left behind. We only found out through the media years latter,

[@DipperDK]

Sounds horrible :(

[@Captseed]

Easy money 🧐

[@viviennewestwoodruinedmylife]

Well you’re still alive

[@SydneyCarton2085]

What were your personal side effects?

[@jonnydanger7181]

@@SydneyCarton2085 she said she heard it on the news.

[@rafaelmelendez1854]

I remember seeing the nuclear power in 1962 when I was on the Ice with naval squadron VX-6 providing the logistical support for the science research.

[@angelaschnelly]

Wow sounds like that would've been an incredible experience.

[@patrickbateman7453]

So why do we have that there again?

[@patrickbateman7453]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKnSf2ykaNuZZ7M start at 48:00

[@angelaschnelly]

@@patrickbateman7453 with more volcanoes than any other continent there has to be ice free areas and melted fresh waters. And how about that beard contest...

[@brandashusband]

@ Rafael Melendez ... I was with VXE-6 from 1983-86. I was a PR1 on their ParaRescue Team. Loved every minute of it. :-)

[@themadhatter196]

"Nothing bigger than a bug".. *bird seen flying

[@thetonybones]

lol timestamp?

[@Nikko-zi3ti]

i thought the exact same thing 😂😂😂

[@Nikko-zi3ti]

@@thetonybones about 30 seconds after the guy said nothing bigger than a bug.

[@brandonduarte6757]

He also said no trees or plant life, but not according to admiral Byrd

[@brandonduarte6757]

There are also penguins

[@CarlosPerez-wt8ff]

Was this produced by Disney... it has a fake and sorta propagandandish feel.

[@dennistedder3384]

He has that funky 1950s narration voice.

[@miltonhollis703]

Dennis what do you want them to do? Do a voice over and have Arnold Schwarzenegger to be the Narrator of the story or Tom Cruse 🤔

[@firewater9465]

A whiskey drinking heavy smoker got the call to sober up or the fruits of his vocal labour will be taken away from him, no true whiskey drinker will endure that what will kill a man, Isle number seven.

[@ma.muller6528]

That was the common 40 cigarette voice of the time 🤠

[@WR3ND]

Ah, yes, English and testosterone - a very rare combination these days.

[@mastertek383]

One important rule for Antarctic stations is to never allow stray dogs into camp, especially dogs being chased and shot at by men in Norwiegian helicopters

[@thezombiechicken9406]

Childs Mac wants the flamethrower!

[@mastertek383]

@@thezombiechicken9406 Mac wants the what??

[@lizardking3770]

No more dogs in Antarctica, back in 96 a new provision of the Antarctica Treaty went into effect stating any wild life introduced to Antarctica must be removed. All the dogs were shipped out in specially built refrigerated tri-wall containers. They said if you bring these dogs anywhere near the equator they'll drop dead from heat exhaustion. These dogs were so interbred with one another they basically constituted a new breed of sled dog. They were so use to the cold they slept outside most of the time. It didn't bother them one bit !!! I worked in Antarctica for almost 13 months straight, they were very hardy strong animals. I heard they were auctioned off and used for breeding in Alaska, Canada, Russia and the US.

[@cile_youtube]

@@lizardking3770 Why would anyone mind dogs in Antarctica? You say that they were used to pulling sleds and that the cold did not bother them! So what's the problem with them staying and living there with people???

[@lizardking3770]

@cile_youtube The Antarctic treaty signed by every major power states ALL wildlife not native to Antarctica must be removed by a certain date which was something like 1996. Also, when I was down there you were not allowed to bring any plants or seeds of any kind, including trail mixes.

[@tommywhare493]

The home of the blue whale the most magnificient and awesome creature on the earth: Proceeds to kill it🙄

[@l-vbordercolliesbryanbaque6237]

Are those penguins bug sized?

[@IvanDmitriev1]

Haven't you heard of the giant Antarctic ice bugs? If so - good!

[@freedomdove]

Wow, the globe Earth propaganda was being pushed hard in this year. Lol.

[@donethat8761]

😎👍💯

[@grandaddyjesus]

2:55 Can't believe they mention melting all of the planets ice just by happenstance and its general implications.

[@joeblow-tp6gz]

It was this ice chunk being pulled off the continent into the ocean by gravitational pull, that caused the great flood. around 12,000 13,000 years ago.

[@sgtbrown4273]

@@joeblow-tp6gz there is absolutely no evidence of that.

[@joeblow-tp6gz]

@@sgtbrown4273 Lot of rain??

[@imfloridano5448]

I watched this to see if my Grandfather Benjamin F Smith would possibility be shown in the film. He was their in 1963 he told he was doing research on the upper layers of the atmosphere, ozone layer I believe.

[@aidenfowler6691]

My Grandfather was there then as well, Edward (ed) Fowler. He was there with Martin Mareta, working on the nuclear plant.

[@thegloriousmoodman2152]

How is that hole in the ozone layer, anyway?

[@jeffstowe4860]

I love the Periscope Films!!!

[@BeryJensen]

Martin company later become Weyland industries... ;)

[@ravenwear]

Quite a few deepfreeze "Easter Eggs" in this documentary.

[@mariegoleti]

for sure

[@spookyfux9324]

Move along citizen.

[@wilddannyify]

@@spookyfux9324 😂

[@elitestockpicks8212]

There is a freemason lodge there

[@hypercomms2001]

There was an awful lot of filler in this film, as if the filmmakers want to bore the audience shitless, before the bring in the “Nuclear” bits...

[@josef7ark]

Using penguins to distract from the main story.

[@ashleylaw]

It was a GE Webber University designed SMR exactly the same as just blew up in White Sea in August this year....

[@frenchie6189]

I agree, I saw one in this format about a year ago that was all about the shipping, installation & bringing the unit online. True to Title unlike this junk.

[@muonneutrino2909]

The background information isn’t filler. This film is an explainer and a justification for Martin to sell more nuclear reactors to the U.S. government. Martin answered why the highest tech the world has ever seen at the time, early-1960s, needed to be deployed to the most remote location on the planet. Since the reactors were deployed to Antarctica, the film was successful at its intended purpose. And that’s all one can ask of any media.

[@peterparker9286]

@@muonneutrino2909 Lockheed/Martin Jimmy New Tron

[@felixthecat2470]

At 15:50 notice the scientist clothing. Not that cold in that part.

[@HamabaJuJu]

2:24 "No land creature bigger than a bug" !!!! ??? What? So I guess from this "movie" we have to conclude that the Penguins in south pool moved there sometime after 1962 !!! Incidentally, I have not heard of any bug in South pool!!!

[@DSToNe19and83]

A clip later shows a bird flying by..

[@thatdude3977]

Maybe this is why it’s melting

[@KazenoniKakuremi]

We had a lot of incidents at this reactor including a leak and lost radioactive material due to terrible flight conditions We also dumped a lot of the nuclear waste back home at one of air bases

[@jonnydanger7181]

In the ocean?

[@sailingaeolus]

@Evan Hodge Also a theory that leaded gas drove most of the boomers crazy.

[@seeharvester]

@@sailingaeolus No, that was paint chips.

[@elmoredneal5382]

Very cool! 😍👌 These old films are an interesting snapshot into the past. I love the look and style of that old equipment ♥ I know it's just industrial / military equipment, but all those switches, gauges, and indicator lights are very classy 😎

[@PeriscopeFilm]

Thanks for the nice comment. Love our channel? Help us save and post more orphaned films! Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/PeriscopeFilm Even a really tiny contribution can make a difference.

[@seeharvester]

@@PeriscopeFilm I love your content. The only thing I don't like is the annoying time stamp and trademark on the screen. There must be a better way to do that.

[@wmcbarker4155]

see the pyramid ? @ 7:02 & @ 26:00

[@Mark_Ocain]

Nuclear only lasted 10 years down there before the reactor began to deveolp enough issues that it had to be decommissioned. the weather was to harsh and the build to frail.

[@fourfortyroadrunner6701]

Someone who had been there told me it was one of the "leakiest" and possibly most dangerous reactor he knew of.

[@robcallejo6679]

Mark O'Cain is this true what you say? I'm curious if there is truth or is this a bhai hoax

[@robcallejo6679]

Mark O'Cain what's true/real and what's not?

[@ypsilantiaz]

I was stationed at McMurdo Station and wintered over in 1970. The sea off of Observation Hill was where the Reactor cooling water was released into the bay. There was always liquid water mixed with the ice year round.

[@howiseeit5129]

Its still in use

[@kylefenrick9168]

Saying awesome and magnificent creature, while showing them being killed, is an oxymoron

[@speculawyer]

125 degrees below zero? No.

[@mikejh4353]

So...... We had a nuke leak on the Antarctic continent?? I'm surprised we haven't seen some 7 ft penguins yet..... Sounds like a good story line for a movie

[@davidhollenshead4892]

Not a bi deal as radiation isn't that dangerous or all our jet Pilots & Astronauts would be dead...

[@epicguy228]

Peinguinzilla

[@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb]

Designed and built in a year - and worked just as reliably as you'd expect. Shut down 10 years early due huge number of malfunctions and leaks. Cleanup took nearly a decade. Idiotic disaster.

[@augustlandmesser1520]

Cracks on nuclear reactors is a well known and still unsolved problem in nuclear technology. Industry's best solution is to double the approved number in order to fulfil requests for elongated operational time of their power plants :D

[@jonnydanger7181]

@@augustlandmesser1520 makes no sense what they tell us theyre doing on a big rock of ice.

[@jollyroger3993]

Crash landed on William's Field aboard a C-130 (The City of Christchurch) VX-6, in the 63/64 summer season. The nose gear refused to come down parallel to the ice but come down vertically. We tore off the nose gear and spun around a so many times I couldn't how many. Walk off the ship, got drunk and fell out of my top bunk and needed 37 stitches to close my head. Thought I had lucked out and be sent back to Chi-chi. The ladies there were great there. I was sent to Byrd Station as part of aviation ground support.

[@robertfaught5174]

I was there in 80-81 W/O 82 S/S 83/84 W/O heard about that crash, Was you flying with Cadillac Jack. Seen the hole they dug out from the old reactor. They said they made a parking lot out of it back at Port Huneme CA. I got smart after that and went to Alaska.

[@seanbassett9389]

jollyroger3993 were you an AS?

[@miltonhollis703]

Mercy this a interesting story about your adventure" this comment is more interesting than the video I finished watching. You should've the narrator instead of the other Guy......

[@daverobinson6110]

Gotta love the sea stories. No sh#t, this really happened 😀

[@BrodyLuv2]

​@@daverobinson6110 🤣

[@Skval2254]

Lets say that there was a problem with an overheating of some Nuclear powerplant of other construction and that this started the melting ice caps. In Tjernobyl they could not cool down the reactor anymore and that caused the explosion and fire. But in the Ice caps of Greenland , the North- and Southpole the ice would prevent this fast proces . But wenn that ice is still cooling down that overheated device it will melt in a high tempo. And for militairy reasons a ice free shippinglane would be a chance for a full time militairy naval base . Oil and gas would be cheaper to mine and international shipping can take short routes around the south and north pole.

[@Ailuk]

Or we could not mine more oil and gas and instead use wind power?

[@Michael-rg7mx]

The Russian design will melt down when water is lost. The American design needs the water for the reactor. Drain the water and it just shuts down.

[@loud865]

The description tells the whole story The nuclear plant only lasted 10 years then broke down and got sent to California to be buried

[@jonnyhooks9943]

Not animal bigger than a bug. Next clip shows a bird circling 😑

[@IvanDmitriev1]

Be glad you never heard of the Giant Antrarctic Ice Bugs. What do you think "At the Mountains of Madness" is? A work of fiction?!

[@davidgrisez]

This is an interesting video that covered some of the activity at McMurdo around 1961 and 1962, and covered the activity of bringing in and installing a small nuclear power plant to provide electricity to McMurdo Station. As we know from history this nuclear power plant had its problems and was decommissioned 10 years later in 1972. It was the only Nuclear Power Plant ever used in Antarctica. Since then electricity has been generated by diesel powered generators.

[@lilblackduc7312]

..Diesel powered generators are only O.K. if the 'scientists' use it.

[@TheCrossroads533]

Ditch nuclear power source and go for a big carbon footprint. Duh, that's intelligent.

[@64curarine]

At 20:27, the narrator says ".... Arneb escorted by the Atka and Eastwind...." However, what is pictured is the Arneb KA-56 being towed by the Glacier GB-4 and followed by a Wind-class icebreaker (I cannot see the hull number clearly). I believe this is stock footage from January of 1957 when the Arneb was damaged by a large chunk of ice and had to be towed to Knox Coast by the Glacier.

[@heru-deshet359]

Until the nuclear plant was installed, all they could use was stock footage. :P

[@liberator48]

Boy howdy it sure is swell that Uncle Sam decided to give us penguins all this nuclear power, huh Billy?

[@peterparker9286]

Billy Madison also Madison Wisconsin nuke powered flying V.

[@el6237]

It leaked contaminating the pristine water of Antarctica 🇦🇶🙏🏻

[@dellawrence4323]

"The most Magnificent and Awesome creature on the Earth" so they killed it.

[@jeffmattsson7038]

yes. Killed by "the most Vile and Dangerous creature on Earth"

[@BarnBear]

Jeff Mattsson bankers killed it?

[@ashleylaw]

@@BarnBear Ultimately....yes.

[@IronCypher]

I know that was phucked up

[@thatdude3977]

@@jeffmattsson7038 white people

[@l-vbordercolliesbryanbaque6237]

I wonder if that's the sam kinda weather balloon they found in Roswell?

[@satanofficial3902]

Swamp balloon or weather gas at Roswell.

[@NavyVet4955]

Don’t let the flat earth guys see this. Talking about a round world triggers them.

[@epicguy228]

Too late

[@demo3456]

in the first 130 of this video I knew it was poppycock

[@killgates8519]

Why don't we know nothing about Antarctica now ?

[@7eye7]

KZbin algorithm been showing me these videos as of late. Hmmm

[@LastAvailableAlias]

"The last unspoiled place on earth. We can fix that."

[@tirebiter1680]

Not true. There are land creatures there, Penguins.

[@mikestirewalt5193]

I hate seeing whaling condoned.

[@IvanDmitriev1]

it's not only condoned it's plainly dungoofed, for all to see, in this movie

[@RaccoonNation]

Sam from ATYPICAL would be in heaven 😎

[@Troy-Tate]

Only bugs aye so why at 2:54 is there a bird flying around?

[@IronCypher]

Lie after lie

[@paulmichaelfreedman8334]

1:38 "You're going to launch a Spaceman????!!!" German Scientist: "Speh-see-men" Only those who have seen "The right Stuff" know the reference

[@Naturenerd1000]

And the wight of the ice pushes Antarctica down 700 feet!? That's crazy to think a continent could be pushed down 700 feet.

[@zapfanzapfan]

Sweden has bounced back 100 meters or so since the ice age, maybe even more in the north.

[@redshop1234]

Not to mention the fact that ice floats in water, which is why they have to use ice breakers to break up the ice.

[@BarnBear]

Naturenerd1000 It is crazy to think that, yes.

[@keithlovelock8225]

...yes indeed...it's called isostatic rebound👍

[@BarnBear]

Keith Lovelock sounds crazy to me.

[@patrickhooker5697]

Bird flying at 2min 24 seconds

[@thetonybones]

02:24 🤘🏼👍🏼

[@ibear5594]

Desert as desolate as the moon. So now we know where the moon landing was filmed. Brilliant

[@dueymoar7767]

Greenland and Area51, actually. Possibly on the moon as well.

[@epicguy228]

@@dueymoar7767 Possibly.

[@brianarbenz1329]

Right. That explains all the penguins wobbling in the background on TV broadcasts of the Apollo astronauts.

[@thetonybones]

and mars too I bet

[@rustywilliams679]

13:20...states long been observed...from where? What platform have yall used to make this observation??? Did land the moon till 69... There is flora and fauna there and woolly mammoths...pet james Byrd admrl...js

[@luish19779]

Minute 2:53---- is so clearly a Bird 🐦...

[@op4g4mer]

fake news

[@jonmyers8046]

Well at least people wouldn't get lost in the long dark winters when they were glowing. 😉 Wow that's something else.