Science on Ice

In 2019 I joined Sonny Ngatai in Te Tiri O Te Moana, Antarctica, to film a five part series on Antarctic research, animals, and life, in the coldest, windiest place on earth.

Science on Ice launched on Monday 18 May, 2020. The series was screened on TVNZ’s HEIHEI platform.

The host, Sonny Ngatai, and I were a crew of two for two weeks on location at Scott Base. This series was produced by Whitebait Media.

In episode one, Sonny travels to the coldest, windiest, driest place on earth, camps out on the ice and meets a 'seal whisperer', even hearing the songs of seals underwater.

In episode two, Sonny catches a helicopter to meet some of Antarctica's adelie and emperor penguins, tries out a loo with a view and helps the scientists by collecting some penguin poo.

In episode three, Sonny heads to McMurdo Station and the famous Crary Lab where he learns about the mysterious world of sea slugs and spiders, and the scientists diving underwater in the Antarctic to study them.

In episode four, Sonny gets a tour of Scott Base, home away from home for all kiwis in Antarctica. He learns how they turn sea water into drinking water and how they use poo-eating bugs to deal with the waste.

In episode five, Sonny visits some of Antarctica`s historic huts to see where science on ice first began. He hears from the scientists working to understand climate change and the important role we have in protecting Antarctica and the planet.