Exploring Antarctica’s Glaciers (with a PlayStation Controller) | Antarctic Extremes

Beneath Antarctica’s glaciers, a 12-foot-long robot named Icefin explores places neither boats nor divers can reach.
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Icefin is testing technologies designed for exploring Jupiter’s icy moon Europa. But before its successors go into space, this robot has a serious job on Earth: taking measurements from under a glacier so researchers like Georgia Tech astrobiologist Britney Schmidt can better understand how climate change is affecting Antarctica’s vulnerable ice. NOVA’s Caitlin Saks and Arlo Perez meet with Britney and her team of young scientists and engineers on the 8-mile-long Erebus Ice Tongue to discover how this robot is gathering data before its “grandkids” leave our planet.
Then, Britney, her team, and Icefin head to the Florida-sized Thwaites Glacier on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Thwaites is one of the most remote places on Earth, but this so-called “Doomsday Glacier” is on the front line of climate change. The thinning and melting of Thwaites already accounts for 4% of global sea level rise, and scientists fear the glacier may eventually collapse. Now, with the help of Icefin, scientists hope to better understand why Thwaites is melting so quickly today-and whether the glacier is at risk of accelerated melting in the near future.
To learn more about the Thwaites Glacier, check out this interactive by The World
interactive.pri.org/2019/05/a...
And to see more about this past season’s research expedition to Thwaites, check out PBS NewsHour’s report by Miles O’Brien: • Visiting the most vuln...
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Hosted by Caitlin Saks and Arlo Pérez
Editor/Digital Associate Producer: Arlo Pérez
Producer: Caitlin Saks
Field Director/Cinematographer: Zachary Fink
Executive Producer: Julia Cort
Coordinating Producer: Elizabeth Benjes
Project Director: Pamela Rosenstein
Production Assistance: Matthew Buckley, Emily Pattison, Sean Cuddihy
Director of Audience Development: Dante Graves
Senior Digital Producer: Ari Daniel
Audience Engagement Editor: Sukee Bennett
Outreach Manager: Gina Varamo
Special Thanks to Miles O'Brien, Eric Rignot, Michael Amundson
Special thanks to the United States Antarctic Program
Archival:
Aurora Basinski, Brad Herried / Polar Geospatial Center, British Antarctic Survey, Britney Schmidt, Carolyn Beeler / The World, David Holland, Dr. Blofeld, Edgeworks Studios, ERSDAC, Goddard Spaceflight Center, GSFC, JAROS, Jeremy Harbeck, Jesse Allen, JPL-Caltech, Luke Peek, METI, NASA, Nickolay Lamm, OIB, Paul Cziko / McMurdo Oceanographic Observatory, Pond5, Storyblocks, U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team
Music: APM
National corporate funding for NOVA is provided by Draper. Major funding for NOVA is provided by the David H. Koch Fund for Science, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers. Additional funding is provided by the NOVA Science Trust.
Major funding for this project is provided by the National Science Foundation. Additional funding is provided by the Heising-Simons Foundation, The Kendeda Fund, the George D. Smith Fund, and the Richard Saltonstall Charitable Foundation.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1713552. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
© WGBH Educational Foundation 2020

[@Alexander-is9jo]

This is my favourite video by far: the cave is gorgeous and now you just go and made a video with an astrobiologist. I love this channel. I know I thank you in every video, but I just want you to know that this informative videos are perfect. Thanks Arlo, thanks Caitlin.

[@miroslavdenic4561]

The fact they're using a PlayStation controller to drive that thing fascinates me

[@mal2ksc]

Why not, it's how they've been controlling driving games for most of their lives and it's off the shelf hardware.

[@sezylrin4138]

@gabe ortiz microsoft is somewhere part of the reason, i dont know exactly where though

[@mihirdahiya2789]

This argument single handedly ended xbox vs playstation beef

[@wiryantirta]

@@mihirdahiya2789 yeah but US Military mainly uses xbox controllers for land/air drone control so we back on I think its just depending what are the compatibilities with the hardware/software they're using

[@mihirdahiya2789]

@@wiryantirta it will never end I guess 😂

[@richardross1166]

I know it's not the main point of the video, but searching for and exploring caves in the Erebus Glacier Tongue is one of my favorite activities!

[@UpcycleElectronics]

This is an influential supporting comment for the algorithm including keywords like, interesting, entertaining, educational, nice, great, awesome, more, share, and captivating. Thanks for the upload. -Jake

[@aidanwest7433]

This is a normal contradicting comment for your comment that includes keywords such as what, how, okay, why, and no. Thanks for your comment. -Aidan

[@mertekren8027]

This is chain continuation comment for your comment that include the keywords lets,keep,this,going and highground. thanks for your comment - High General Obi Wan Kenobi

[@slayyyerr2320]

Hahah yes

[@piichololo1]

The question is if they're going to upgrade their controller to a PS5 one

[@aswinkrishna5042]

The true question

[@gradunc]

I'm watching this series the day after the US election and it is REALLY helping me stay calm. Thanks NOVA.

[@tomm2812]

Myself a former neophyte spelunking explorer, cave/cavern diver and sub-ice diver and deep shipwreck penetration diver with roughly 1000 something dives this is Phenomenally Amazing. Absolutely Great Video. The Antarctic has been my lifetime dream.Thank you Caitlin, Arlo et al. Best

[@NemoK]

This video is beautiful, by the way, but also a little scary. Scary in the sense that we know so little about even our own planet, but also hopeful that we can keep living on it together for many generations to come.

[@Nikita_Turbo]

Hey mr algorithm! This series deserves being promoted. Keywords: interesting, entertaining, educational, nice, great, awesome, more, share, and captivating.

[@brunocosta8974]

It's absolutely unbelievable that a video like this only has 150k views.

[@Asiliea]

First time back on youtube in a few days, and as soon as I saw this, I had to watch immediately, and was not disappointed in the slightest. Love everything you're doing, in every way you are. Those ice "geodes" were _gorgeous_, what amazing footage from so many hidden corners of the world all in one video. Keep up the amazing and important work!

[@jamesdriscoll9405]

The ice caves on Mt Rainier where I played as a child are long gone. It's a blue that I will never forget.

[@bryancalzada5685]

That WGBH at the end Lord I haven't seen that since I was a kid. Instantly hit with old memories of public access TV.

[@marcusbrown7493]

This is such a well put together series, I love it! Endlessly fascinating!

[@Pendoza84]

I love this series. Please bring more!

[@aarjavjogani9240]

I wait everyday for the next episode and it ends so soon! I hope one day I can go to Antarctica as a scientist!

[@toolman6872]

Thanks for doing these. They are very well done from start to finish. The back and forth narration keeps it flowing nicely, the subject matter is interesting and informative and the visuals are well done and beautiful. I hope you get enough support to continue for a long time.

[@mariamistfire5482]

"Look at his legs! He's so cute! EhHEHehEHEHeHehEEEE" awwww lmao

[@dopaminedreams1122]

These videos deserve to go viral, they are by far the most interesting and entertaining Antartica videos on yt. Great work PBS

[@jeselleang]

just discovered this series and i love it!!!

[@durvin001]

Watched all your Antarctica Episodes, I have to say Caitlin and Arlo was just awesome bringing these footages and documentaries, watched this even during taking a bath! 😅 Sooo Cool! 🗻❄️

[@calla211]

What the hell, this is AMAZING content and easily deserves a million views. Subscribed!

[@semaj_5022]

I'm so late to the party 😭 but I love these videos. Its so amazing seeing the science going on down there and all the varying and important applications of the data they collect and things they discover. Makes me want to join them

[@4Deadserious]

Just had my interview for a position down there. Went super well so here's to hoping!

[@ArloPerez]

Crossing my fingers for you, Sauce Daddy

[@luizguerra7807]

Hey you should put the measurements in the metric system too... Watching from Brazil, and I'm loving it!

[@0HARE]

Fascinating stuff. Thanks for taking us along.

[@renderererer3572]

2:00 Heard this as 'Your Oppa' and now I can't unhear it.

[@deepingblue]

I like this...please more!

[@IudiciumInfernalum]

Party at Antarctica, i'm down!

[@ronnydarko9046]

I hope EA isn't in charge of this mission. The DLC will be priced outrageously.

[@ralphralpherson9441]

Hot damn! That ice cave was bad ass. I'd like to compose music in there... bet it would sound incredible. Also was blown away by all the sea critters under the Antarctic.. How the hell did that seal get down there... You're a mammal bro! How long you holding your breath homie?

[@dleddy14]

Have you ever considered reconciling your expectations with your experience?

[@adnanchinisi7871]

I've always wanted a beach front property, and now I just have to wait.

[@ishamibrahim1969]

Where is Elsa singing show yourself😂😂

[@410540]

I have never thought that KZbin is going to suggest this channel for me. But god I am so thankful. It makes me believe more in science. Our society is taking everything for granted, really. I mean look at how difficult and live threatening this scientists has to encounter to be able to bring human to exist in other part of the earth. Thank you very much for all of your dedication for education and humanity. ❤️

[@Mikeztarp]

"Thwaites" sounds like Donald Duck running after somebody. "Thwaites for me!"

[@jenniferbhujel2106]

Very good video

[@stormchazer3068]

Interesting, educational, nice, entertaining, great, awesome, more, share, fascinating, incredible, captivating.

[@beanz4170]

interesting, entertaining, educational, nice, great, awesome, more, share, and captivating.

[@octaneblue6]

interesting, entertaining, educational, nice, great, awesome, more, share, and captivating

[@steve1978ger]

"the Antarctic Upside Down" - it looks the part

[@muhmalikali]

Looks like they're having fun with PlayStation

[@Speedcuber6969]

Great awesome educating exciting

[@Speedcuber6969]

Why does this not have more views???

[@jadapaller4948]

interesting entertaining educational nice great awesome more share captivating Great series so far i hope this gets the recognition it deserves!

[@piplupcola]

Idk bout anyone else but I feel like with a multimillion dollar device you would think they would have used a thicker wire as is lifeline

[@thejarjosh]

Eh its not like they paid for it. Most likely.

[@tieganhobbs9206]

The cable is actually very strong in tension (when it's pulled) --- many times the required strength for Icefin. The big issue is if it gets snagged into the underside of the ice. It would also suck if it gets kinked, as that can impede the two way flow of information through the fibre optics in the cable. -Tiegan from Team Icefin

[@JoeyVol]

@@tieganhobbs9206 you're a bad woman, Tiegan. Lol do you get to drive the robot?

[@tophatchaos8142]

I know someone else has already stated this, but I just wanna reiterate: The use of the word lifeline isn't necessarily to pull it back up or hoist it. As an optical fiber, it's used to transmit data, including controls

[@tophatchaos8142]

@@JoeyVol clearly you are some lonely troll who has nothing better to do than call scientists commenting on videos relevant to or directly about their studies "bad." Go back to screaming in CoD lobbies and chugging mountain dew

[@kibrika]

How did you film the yellow underwater robot underwater? It looked hard to get just that thing underwater already hard. But additional cameras? Or, how did you get the footage out maybe?

[@caitlinsaks4910]

Hi kibrika, all the footage of icefin underwater was shared by the scientists -- we did not capture it ourselves. I believe some of it came to them via the McMurdo Divers, and a good amount of it came from the McMurdo Oceanographic Observatory, which has an underwater camera that sometimes streams live! moo-antarctica.net/about Some of it may have also been from cameras that the science team itself deployed.

[@ArloPerez]

I begged for Caitlin to strap a Go-Pro on my head and let me jump in there- she just wouldn't budge 🙄

[@caitlinsaks4910]

@@ArloPerez Didn't want to scare the seals...

[@RicoChavez1]

@@caitlinsaks4910 - but then Arlo could get a crack named after him....

[@aarjavjogani9240]

@@caitlinsaks4910 let me jump next time, I basically look like a seal with hands and legs

[@naufalap]

this channel needs more advertising from other pbs channels

[@Thebigbiscuito]

So suspenseful! 😬 lol

[@justinemarkfajardo2765]

another Netflix series like love it

[@sergiovasquez4510]

If you could put subtitles (in metric units) for every time you mention imperial units in the video, that'd be great!

[@mal2ksc]

Nah, other way around. Do everything in metric, and insert Freedom Units as subtitles.

[@tophatchaos8142]

@@mal2ksc considering that most courses of scientific study teach in metric, even in the US, I totally agree

[@solfischer613]

I'd smoke in that glacier.

[@tophatchaos8142]

My new dream as an engineering student is yo be able to work on Antarctic machines. Would be so cool

[@RicoChavez1]

interesting, entertaining, educational, nice, great, awesome, more, share, and captivating. Keep it up!

[@KelsySmith]

Britney looks like me.. I rarely see bigger girls on science expeditions and this is so exciting. Yay!

[@Arenesz]

This is interesting, educational, nice, entertaining, great, awesome, more, share, fascinating, incredible, captivating.

[@simplyhuman3982]

Ok. How do I get to the actual documentary?

[@xizuq6416]

Space Time, Eons, and Storied sent me here.

[@alch3myau]

Surely someone can splice fiber down there... "game over"? heh

[@v1thxense]

grounding line is TIGHT!

[@saranshkaushik8259]

Such videos are extremely crucial for the masses so that people can see that climate change is for real.

[@stinkysmella]

Amazing video, so interesting. Can someone can tell me what song the girl played on her phone at the end of the video please? Thank you x

[@saranshkaushik8259]

@@stinkysmella dnt know :)

[@sanoptprie2682]

Never heard of profession called glaciologist

[@jayh9529]

Has anyone ever recorded a lap all the way round antartica would be cool to see 😎👍

[@BuIlDaLiBlE]

That looks like a knockoff PS controller though. But props to everyone, surviving there must've been super tough not to mention filming!

[@shadowraith1]

Thanks for sharing.👍

[@user-ou7to6pj7e]

I heard they have to dig a 3km hole to come to the ocean on europa.

[@6fTbLiNg]

Just curious , do they have pot there ?

[@Gloria-yp4sv]

I see glacier I click

[@dkoppenol]

I had to say Eons sent me!

[@treering8228]

As an Alaskan girl, I love to see a woman wearing her Carhart padded overalls! So dumb to wear designer gear swearing it’s good to -40 F, then it sucks at -20 F. I wear one pair of leggings under my Carharts at -45 F doing firewood and stay toastie! Rock on, girl!

[@andyrint]

9:06 what part of the glacier is 86 degrees C??

[@caitlinsaks4910]

Hi Andy -- Thanks for your curiosity, an very perceptive of you to pick that up! The hole through which they lowered scientific instruments (including icefin) was created with hot water. It's called a "hot water borehole" -- they bore through hundreds of meters of ice using hot water. That is what was 86C -- the hot water from the boilers that made the ice hole, NOT any part of the glacier ;)

[@andyrint]

@@caitlinsaks4910 Thanks for the reply! looking forward to the next instalment of this fascinating and beautiful series.

[@blinkin304]

this is an amazing series, but their use of the term "North" at 7:10 kinda bugged me. if the map graphic they used is accurate then the point they are referencing is much more East than it is North if they are referencing the polar coordinate system.

[@TheHadMatters]

1) West, not East. 2) It's still "further North" than the original point, even if that's not the direction you'd take to get there. They might be wanting to highlight that, or something.

[@drewdurant3835]

We’re at two flat earthers .

[@jonriley5695]

I like caving but I haven't really been in an ice cave.

[@billbaggins]

20ish years ago I knew a bloke that spent a few years and a few $million designing a similar robot for CSIRO Aus to do this.... It went along the surface, dived under the ice .... and was never heard from again. 😬 Poor guy. Watched a few of these vids, pretty well presented without the usual condescending tone of most American doco's. I'll sub and follow along. 👍

[@unboxingdoomdays5949]

Imagine if they found some nuclear weapons in Antarctica

[@fivemjs]

I have a question and it’s going to sound so snotty but I swear it’s Genuine curiosity. They say they’re trying to find out if the glacier is melting and how fast and that’s why they sent down the sub So they can take pictures of what’s going on. But my question is, what are they gonna do about it? I mean is it just to know or is there something they can do to stabilize a glacier? Maybe I’m the biggest idiot and that’s fine but I just am curious of what they want to accomplish after they discover whatever it is they’re looking for?

[@fivemjs]

And I realize that if I just watch the rest of the video they may answer it so there’s that

[@162manoj]

Never clicked faster!

[@ryanlevron1972]

Im surprised the local governments allowed y'all to go into that ice cave... but i LOVE the adventure Y'all do know.... do matter what research yall do....yall wont change the inevitable....wont even decrease the possibilities

[@charleslittle458]

11 feet? shit that's scary. Having trouble finding that data. Help plz.

[@tseawell90]

11 feet of sea level rise? Can I get a source for that claim

[@aaronmacy9134]

Why the fuck does this video have so few views when it’s literally predicting our future?! ..where do I sign up to help? Edit; I figured it out. This vid’s title shoulda woulda coulda been “Bro, we’re about to fucking die”

[@indrarahmadani8373]

So where's the edge of the earth according to Flat brainer is?

[@Datamike]

Until the robot learns to lower itself into the water and swim without hitting itself it's not going to Europa; the distance is just too far for it be to remote-controlled.

[@ArloPerez]

Absolutely- this is more like the great grandfather of the robot that will go to Europa.

[@Piie9]

Give me money or else I will ask for money!

[@crakhead5917]

So basically subnatica below zero

[@joojoobomb]

Nope nope nope nope nope. I never thought I was claustrophobic yet here we are. Fuck no.

[@WilliamAndrews0]

We have scientifically, beyond reasonable doubt and to a statistical significance proven that scientists can't dance. JK of course, I am impressed they can even move when the entire ecosystem around them is frozen solid.

[@Semblerait]

I passed wind earlier, you know what i blame climate change.

[@bensput2471]

climate change is a huge problem please do not joke about and belittle it

[@Semblerait]

@@bensput2471 I don't take advice from corrupt globalist. The pedo cabal is the one pushing this stuff, they're as corrupt and evil as they get.

[@theorangeheadedfella]

@@Semblerait 🤓

[@Miko72749]

what am I supposed to do about this

[@kpkdhar3674]

Oceans occupy 70.8 percent of entire globe, land mass including arctic and antarctic is 30 %, artic makes a small % of that, how come a small chunk of ice can raise ocean level upto 11 feet, of 70% surface area, any basic math knowledge, 7 or 8 % arctic mass, distributing over 70% of ocean surface to 11 feet. how thick the arctic ice is?

[@paulfoss5385]

The Antarctic Ice sheet contains 26.5 million cubic kilometers of ice, and covers 14 million square kilometers. 26500000km^3/14000000km^2= 1.893km thick on average.

[@yapolloable]

they might find captain america at this rate.

[@quinngruner5073]

+

[@mybackhurts7020]

Global warming is increasing by population increasing but we will need a warmer planet to grow more food for more people creating our own environment to overpopulate

[@SA-5247]

Didn’t the government just release a report that the ice planes in Antarctica are growing lol?!

[@larsrosing5033]

'Glaciers falling apart from climate change' thats a good one! They always fall apart, climate change or not!

[@llewellynfisher2432]

But you will never understand and forever be you it's a big universe my brothers and sisters instead off asking you manipulate people's existence

[@ShaunHaddrill]

Thank you for putting meters in there.

[@ShaunHaddrill]

I'm sending my family to Antarctica, this video has motivated me!

[@reklessbravo2129]

I'm surprised they're using a PlayStation controller. PS controllers have much less support outside actual playstation's than xbox controllers. Every generic gamepad for pc use uses the same stuff that xbox controllers use

[@steve-hs9ur]

just buy beyond light lol

[@shambosaha9727]

First, I guess