GLASS project

**Another day at the office**: Nick Lewis and Darren McAulay begin to break down the DAS station near our field camp.

On the Ice | Part Four: Mindset

January 05, 2026 in Antarctica

Even in the most extreme environment, redundant actions can generate a sense of rudimentary routine. After driving the Tucker Sno-Cat roughly a kilometer away from our field camp, Darren McAulay and I climb out of the cab and stand back to observe an engineer and a scientist do their thing: Joel Steinkraus and Zhongwen Zhan are making adjustments to the PEG. Again.

Watching these experts tinker with equipment at the bottom of the world is fascinating — for a little while at least. After 10 minutes of filming and photographing their repetitive movements, my attention drifts to the horizon, towards the Ellsworth mountains. I notice Darren is gazing in that direction too.

**A home at the edge of the earth**: Our field camp is outfitted with everything we need to live and work on the Ronne Ice Shelf for two weeks.

On the Ice | Part Three: Adaptation

December 14, 2025 in Antarctica

For the second time in three days, I am boarding a plane for one of the best flights of my life, filming our team as we climb into a ski-equipped DHC-6 Twin Otter at Union Glacier. After rumbling down a snowy runway, the small plane lifts off, soars over the Ellsworth Mountains, and heads north to the Ronne Ice Shelf. I stare out the window for the entire 10-minute flight.

In contrast to the dramatic mountains surrounding Union Glacier, the ice shelf is a vast, flat expanse of white. Looking down at the massive tundra below us, I can just make out a long, single track in the snow. Then I spot the Tucker Sno-Cat, loaded with all our gear, chugging along in the same direction.

A few minutes later, we get the first glimpse of our field camp — where we will live and work for the next two weeks. From a few thousand feet in the air, it appears as a tiny dot in the middle of nothing.

It feels as though we are flying to the literal edge of the earth.