Help Nobody knows what it’s like to live on Mars, but the scientist Dr Sarah Hilton does have some idea. She’s
spending a year at the Concordia research base in Antarctica, where the special conditions found there
are helping her learn about what life on Mars might be like for future astronauts.

The region has an average temperature of minus 50 °C. The sun vanishes completely for four months in
winter, with temperatures dropping to minus 80 °C. The base is so far from civilisation that it’s the only place on
Earth where you get the same feeling of remoteness that astronauts experience. In fact, it takes longer
to get to Antarctica than to the International Space Station 400 kilometres above us!

Sarah is part of a team of 13 scientists who are living and working at the base. During summer,
Concordia is home to up to 60 visiting scientists. But in winter, a crew of only 10 is left to run the
base, so everyone has several roles: the chef is also a fireman; the plumber is trained as a medical
assistant.

When asked why she applied, Sarah says: ‘I’ve always been fascinated by Antarctica. I’d already
experienced working in constant daylight at the North Pole, which had a negative effect on
my body’s ability to tell day from night. But sleeping in 24-hour darkness in Antarctica is totally
different. Also, you immediately notice the flat landscape and strong winds here.’ Sarah’s main
job is monitoring the effects of these conditions on health, as previous studies found that people
working in Antarctica share many physical challenges with those working in space. Results on
Earth can give clues about possible problems astronauts might face.

Sarah has discovered that although the freezing cold and lack of sunlight make conditions very
uncomfortable, she was surprised to find that living with strangers is harder than anything else.
Her team is of mixed experience and cultural background, including a French scientist, an Italian
physicist and some Spanish astronomers. Although English is used when discussing research,
there is a multicultural atmosphere, with Spanish being the most common language used in social
situations.

Sarah started off trying to make friends with everyone because like being in space, communicating
with people back home can be difficult. She soon realised, however, that having just a few close
friends has made her feel more positive, and has also enabled her to focus more on work. She
produces research which predicts how people might perform on future missions to the Moon, Mars
and beyond. One study that Sarah hopes will be useful is to measure people’s eyesight during their
visit, as, just like the conditions in space, everyone at the base has only artificial light for many months.

Considering this difficult environment, everyday life at the base is well-managed, with the team
kept occupied. While most prefer reading books, or using the games consoles provided, Sarah
enjoys taking photos to record her trip when she isn’t working. The food at the base is good,
even if most of it is preserved – for example, vegetables and meat come in tins. Sarah admits to
missing things like salad, although she made sure she brought plenty of chocolate, her favourite
treat, with her on the trip. Team members’ personal items are important, and Sarah regrets not
having her favourite shampoo, which she wasn’t allowed to bring with her. This is because the
base in Antarctica reuses its water through the same special recycling system that is used on the
International Space Station, and it can’t cope with the chemicals found in many washing products.
And Sarah’s future? She says, ‘I’d love to go to Mars if I could, but I don’t think it’s very likely!’
1. How many members of staff remain to manage the base after the summer? *
1 point