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Mapping Meteorites in Antarctica: A New Era for Solar System Exploration

Belgian-Dutch scientists create the first continent-wide “treasure map” to predict meteorite locations near Princess Elisabeth Station

Education and Outreach Activities
Dressing for Extremes: Life at Princess Elisabeth Antarctica Station

Henri Robert, science liaison officer with the International Polar Foundation, spends the Antarctic summer months at the Princess Elisabeth Station, a zero-emissions research base perched on a granite ridge in Queen Maud Land. From November to February, the team balances life indoors at a comfortable 20°C powered entirely by solar and wind energy with demanding work outside in one of the planet’s coldest, driest environments.

Princess Elisabeth Antarctica
Update: Venturi Antarctica EV Upgraded to Tackle Changing Conditions at Princess Elisabeth Station

Since its deployment at Belgium’s Princess Elisabeth Antarctica Research Station in 2021, the Venturi Antarctica has undergone key upgrades to maintain performance amid climate variability, reinforcing the station’s zero-emission operations.

Princess Elisabeth Antarctica
Princess Elisabeth Station Introduces First Electric Vehicle in Antarctica

Belgium’s Princess Elisabeth Antarctica Research Station has deployed the world’s first electric polar exploration vehicle, allowing scientists to traverse the icy terrain sustainably while conducting research missions.

Princess Elisabeth Antarctica
Wind Turbines Engineered for Antarctica’s Extreme Cold

The wind turbines at Princess Elisabeth Station are specifically designed to function in extremely cold weather. The Conversation academic research site explains that these turbines are drilled into the granite ridge below the snow and ice, unlike a wind turbine in, say, Idaho, which would be mounted on a large concrete base. These turbines also use special polar lubricants that help them withstand the freezing temperatures.

Arctic Futures Symposium
China in the Arctic: Debate at Arctic Futures Symposium

Experts weigh China’s growing presence in the High North, highlighting both caution and context

Princess Elisabeth Antarctica
Life on Antarctica’s First Zero-Emissions Research Station

The Princess Elisabeth Station proves that sustainable living is achievable even in the harshest environments

Princess Elisabeth Antarctica
Belgium’s pioneering research station demonstrates that sustainable life is achievable even in Earth’s harshest climate

The Princess Elisabeth research station runs completely on renewable energy—wind, sun, and smart design—and stands as proof that zero-carbon living is not just an ideal, but a practical reality.

Education and Outreach Activities
Rare Martian Meteorite Arrives in Belgium

A boulder-sized Martian meteorite discovered in Antarctica during a Japanese-Belgian campaign has landed in Belgium, opening new doors for the study of the Red Planet—made possible with BELSPO funding and logistical support from the International Polar Foundation.

Education and Outreach Activities
The Antarctic Treaty Faces New Pressures as Nations Compete for Influence

Antarctica remains a unique example of international cooperation, but rising tourism, strategic ambitions, and resource interests are testing the limits of the Antarctic Treaty System.