Are there insects in Antarctica? Shame will save the world. Antarctica has the face of death
In Antarctica, as you know, almost no snow falls - the winds drag the same snowflakes across the continent. Our elite is also almost never replenished; this is generally characteristic of stagnation, when vertical mobility is reduced to zero.
In public politics it’s the same Zyuganov, Zhirinovsky and you know who, in the governor’s circle, judging by Zelenin, strangers don’t stick around, and if the country urgently needs a speaker of the upper house of parliament, there’s also nowhere to find him. You have to choose from what is available. Who is not particularly popular there, but it’s a pity to show him? And Valentina Matvienko, from among the governors unloved by St. Petersburg, after some persuasion, becomes the main candidate for third party in the state.
Why she hesitated is clear to me: Valentina Ivanovna is a person, perhaps not super-wise, but adequate. She understands that the word “speaker” comes from the English “speak”, and with oral speech, with the gift of oratory, with aphoristic formulations, things are even worse for her than for her predecessor Sergei Mironov.
She can still be perceived as a business executive - and even succeed for a short time, if a snowy winter does not happen - but she does not look at all like the head of the Federation Council, since this position requires no strategic thinking, theoretical ideas about the future of the country. True, all this is completely unimportant, because neither the lower nor the upper house of parliament has decided anything for a long time. There is only one, purely symbolic meaning in Matvienko’s appointment: they make us understand that they will continue to shuffle up there and they don’t need any renewal for nothing. The only adequate response of the population to this shuffling will be equally shameless ignorance - and in fact, who cares about the third post in the state, where the first two are in no way connected with the personal merits of the candidates?
Most of all, this shuffle - or juggling, if you like - reminds me of one of the Strugatsky novels. There is a certain number of earthlings there - strictly limited, although occasionally after all replenished - becomes the object of a mysterious experiment: appointments to positions are issued by a special machine that generates its decisions, it seems, using the pure random method. As a result, today's senator tomorrow becomes a garbage man for six months, and in the next six months the garbage man turns into a filmmaker - and nothing, that's it. somehow they cope.
Because professional qualities in this experimental community are not as important as the desire and willingness to participate in the experiment, the ability to contact fellow members of a closed community, to take the rules of the game seriously, to consider the artificial sun to be real, and so on. As a result, there are almost no professionals in the city, but there are many dissatisfied people, and everything, of course, ends in a dictatorship, because in a world where no one is busy with his work and his calling means nothing, there cannot be a normal value system. Only imposed.
I almost forgot - this novel is called “The Doomed City.”
CHISINAU, July 16 – Sputnik. The polar explorer told Sputnik Moldova about the harsh life in permafrost, the dangers of the South Pole and friendship with penguins, as well as how not to go crazy while in harsh conditions and confined spaces.
—Who do they take as polar explorers?
— Anyone can come to the HR department of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute. If there is a need for this specialist, he is added to the reserve, and when the time comes, he is sent to Antarctica.
At the station, a person is observed as he settles in. After wintering, they decide whether it is suitable for long-term work in polar stations and subsequent expeditions.
— What are the features and difficulties of your work?
— Remoteness and psychological stress. We see what others don’t see and we can’t talk much about it. I signed a non-disclosure agreement. This is not related to human activity, that’s all I can say.
— What is the polar station and how many people work there?
— About 20 people work there. These are several houses.
— What kind of work are you doing there?
“We are exploring the upper layers of the atmosphere, the core of the earth, ice. The largest study is Lake Vostok. We took samples of water that is 70 million years old. Our other task is to dive to the bottom of the lake. And the most important thing is to make a device that would go through a well, sink to the bottom of the lake and carry out the given programs.
— What difficulties does a person who is accustomed to a civilized way of life experience?
— Remoteness and isolation from the mainland affect human psychology. But then you get used to it. As for everyday life, we get water from the glacier. We eat the same foods as on earth, only frozen.
— What is the most difficult thing in the life of a polar explorer? You have been in a confined space for a long time, where even interpersonal relationships can become a huge problem.
“It’s like being on a submarine, which at least can float, but here it’s cooler - there’s no escape.” During all three winterings, we never had any conflicts. We live as one family. It is very difficult to return back to earthly life. You feel like an outcast, but there you are at home.
— What are your temperatures there? Are there critical ones?
— Critical cases are only at Vostok station. This is our highest station. Temperatures here reach -90 degrees. The average temperature at the coastal station in winter reaches -50, in summer +10. In December, January and February we have summer there.
- How do you go outside? How you keep warm, what you dress in. Do you need to dress in three layers of clothing?
— It all depends on the station. For security reasons, we are not allowed to go out alone. The Progress station is one thing, where it’s 50 meters from house to house, and another is the Mirny station, where it’s one kilometer. It is forbidden to go out there even if there is a suspicion of a “Storm 1” situation; people walk together, holding hands. During "Storm 2" - leaving the house is absolutely prohibited.
There is a strong wind of prohibitive speed and snow, called "angelica". In such weather it is forbidden to move even between houses.
— How do you withstand the long polar night?
“It’s very difficult to spend several months without sunlight. The body goes crazy. I want to sleep all the time. When the polar day begins - this is from December to January: the sun does not set, it leans towards the horizon and immediately rises - it is not easier either. The body also begins to go crazy. That is, this territory is not at all suitable for human life.
- How do you have fun?
— Bathhouse and fishing. We borrow a huge motorized drill from the hydrologists, drill through three-meter ice, lower our fishing rods into it and relax, while the penguins are nearby, stealing our fish.
— What or who is missing most from the expedition?
- Women. Not a single woman has ever been with us. This is a bad omen and means trouble.
— It turns out that polar explorers have no personal life. Do you have any desire to quit this activity?
- Once you go, it’s impossible to quit. Only foreigners can start families. After wintering, they are sent on vacation to resorts, where families can also fly.
— Is it true that you named one of the islands in honor of the musical group Bi-2?
— According to international maritime law, a person who finds himself in neutral waters has the right not only to name, but also to appropriate any object that he finds there. This happiness smiled on me, and I gave a pleasant gift to this group, because the soloists are my friends.
— You recently returned from an expedition. How long does it take to adapt to earthly life?
- If there are people who love you and are waiting for you, then very quickly. If these people are not there, it will never pass.
The Antarctic inhabitants, the Diptera Belgica antarctica, use both cryoprotective and anti-dehydration mechanisms to protect themselves from local cold.
Insects, as we know, are cold-blooded creatures; their activity strongly depends on the ambient temperature. At low temperatures they are inactive and try to wait out the cold in a state of hibernation. It would be strange to see insects, for example, in Antarctica, side by side with penguins and seals. However, Belgica antarctica from the order Diptera managed to put birds and mammals to shame: this species spends its entire life in the depths of the Antarctic continent, not in the least embarrassed by the extreme temperatures there.
Belgica antarctica spends two years as a larva, and turns into an adult insect in just a couple of weeks. This is enough to have time to perform a mating dance and lay eggs. During their short life, adult individuals do not feed, devoting all their time to searching for a partner and competing with each other for a female: the numerical superiority of males in B. antarctica is 6 to 1. As for the larvae, they feed on algae and other microorganisms, preferring to stay close penguin colonies.
B. antarctica larvae are resistant to a wide variety of stresses. They attracted the attention of scientists by surviving immersion in a toxic solution intended for the preservation of biological samples: after a day of being in it, the larvae were alive. Researchers from Ohio University (USA) set out to find out how this insect manages to survive Antarctic winters. The cold presents him with a difficult choice: remain unfrozen, but lose a lot of liquid, or preserve liquid, but run the risk of damaging himself with ice crystals. As it turns out, B. antarctica uses both possibilities equally.
When a larva decides to freeze, its body and tissues become rigid, which protects them from damage during cooling. Researchers believe that B. antarctica owes this effect to the antifreeze cocktail synthesized at this time. One of its components is the carbohydrate trehalose, which was previously found in the tissues of plants and animals that are resistant to dehydration. The larvae spend the winter in shelters under stones, where the temperature still does not reach the lowest values. But what happens if insects still have to lose water?
In a paper published in the Journal of Insect Physiology, the authors report that B. antarctica larvae can lose up to 70% of their body fluids (though losing just 15% is fatal to humans). Of course, for this they have special proteins that prevent water loss; In addition, to reduce the degree of dehydration, the larvae gather together and overwinter in large clusters. But the main - and limiting - factor in protecting the larvae from desiccation is their supply of carbohydrates. These carbohydrates are used for the synthesis of substances that prevent water loss. Experiments have shown that the larvae can withstand four “drying” cycles, but the fifth turns out to be the last for 35% of insects: the supply of carbohydrate raw materials is exhausted.
So, when the temperature drops, the larvae first turn on resistance to desiccation, and then cold resistance. According to the researchers, larvae rarely have to withstand more than four “freezing” cycles during the winter, so nothing prevents B. antarctica from thriving - if, of course, this can be said about life in Antarctica.
Antarctica is the icy continent of our planet. But despite the extremely low temperatures, there is a very extensive fauna here. It would seem that who or what can survive in the endless snowy expanses, but the animals feel comfortable there. They build their homes, get food and fight for territory with rivals. Let's talk in more detail about what kind of fauna Antarctica hides. The animals here are very diverse and unusual, causing surprise and sometimes even fear.
Everyone should know
Too harsh winds and low temperatures are not suitable for all animals, so everything is stable in Antarctica. New species do not appear here, nor do they disappear, because poaching is practically not developed here. The waters are very rich in phytoplankton, which provide plant food for almost the entire continent. Birds flock here and fish swim in search of prey. Krill, small herbivores, arrive here every year. They drift with the waters and become food for squids, octopuses and whales. A separate conversation concerns the birds of Antarctica. There are very, very many of them here. Some become food themselves, while others are ideal hunters. Let's look at what kind of fauna Antarctica is famous for. Animals, as noted above, are different. Let's start with the most numerous.
Adelie Penguins
It is hardly possible to count the number of these birds that are found here. Every year they return to their old breeding site. These are unique birds, especially if you look at their appearance, which has been formed over many years of survival in difficult conditions. Since they spend most of their time in water, their powerful paws eventually became flippers, the body took on a streamlined shape, and the wings turned into fins. In water, Adelie penguins reach speeds of up to 15 km/h. They often jump quite high out of the water. Living conditions have made these birds terrestrial; from a distance they look more like clumsy, well-fed people dressed in a suit. But the animal world of Antarctica does not end there; let’s look at other inhabitants for whom this place has become their home.
Emperor penguin
Of the penguin family, this representative is considered the largest and heaviest. Its average height is 122 centimeters, and the maximum recorded is 130 cm. Weight ranges from 22 to 45 kilograms. Just like the king penguin, this one belongs to the emperor species and bears the same name. It is interesting that these birds have a very developed pectoral muscle. Of all the representatives of its genus, the emperor penguin has climbed far to the south. About 300,000 individuals live on the ice floes of Antarctica. Birds immigrate to the mainland only to mate and hatch eggs. The daily diet includes squid, krill and fish. Emperor penguins hunt in groups. Small prey is eaten while still in the water, while larger prey is cut up on land.
Antarctica: animals of the seal family
The Ross seal is the only representative of its species. Its key feature is that it is significantly smaller than its relatives. Of course, the animal world of Antarctica is still little explored, and the Ross seal - even less. This is due to the fact that it lives in places that are difficult for humans to reach. In addition, it is considered a very rare species, and for researchers it will be a real happiness to meet this animal. The animal's body length usually does not exceed 2 meters, and its weight is 200 kilograms. The Ross seal has a large amount of subcutaneous fat and a thick neck into which it can almost completely retract its head.
What animal lives in Antarctica?
One of the most majestic, huge and rare creatures of the continent is the blue or blue whale. Today, the number of this representative of cetaceans is gradually increasing, but a few years ago it was considered very rare. This was due to the fact that Chinese poachers destroyed most of the population. You will probably be surprised to learn that the length of this giant can reach 40 meters and weight more than 150 tons. The heart of a blue whale alone weighs about a ton. We can say with great confidence which animals in Antarctica are the most amazing - blue whales. Currently, they are considered the largest inhabitants of planet Earth.
Conclusion
For many birds and animals, the only safe place on the planet is Antarctica. Animals here mostly exist in large populations. Almost no one ever catches them. However, there is a need to continually monitor whaling and other types of poaching. Petrels, penguins, Weddell seals and other animals need human protection. It is safe to say that the fauna of Antarctica is unique in its own way; there are representatives of penguins and seals that do not live anywhere else. Occasionally, birds and animals for which this climate is not normal swim or fly in here. After exploring the new area a little, most return to their home.
From October 29 to November 8, 2016, the First Antarctic Entrepreneurship Summit was held in Antarctica. Its participants met and talked with the administrator of the Bellingshausen polar station, Sergei Mikhailovich Nikitin.
Sergei Mikhailovich Nikitin
Administrator of the Bellingshausen polar station. In 1979 he graduated from the Leningrad Medical Institute. For many years he worked as an anesthesiologist-resuscitator. Behind him are 8 winterings and 11 expeditions to Antarctica. The first expedition took place in 1987.
Who are polar explorers?
The polar explorer profession does not exist. According to our legislation, a person working in the polar regions is not a polar explorer. Such people simply receive certain benefits due to their working conditions.
I don't know what a polar explorer is. According to the staffing schedule, diesel engineers, mechanics, electricians, and cooks work at the station.
There will still be many scientists in the summer. They collect information in various areas: meteorology, geology, satellite information reception. Now we have German ornithologists working here. Big pedants - strictly control the breeding areas of birds.
Who is in charge of all this?
Administration. More precisely, the administrator of the polar station. Officially, the position is called administrator, not chief. But usually everyone says “boss.”
I don't think this is a calling. An administrator at the station is a necessity.
The station was founded in 1968 and named after Thaddeus Bellingshausen This can be anyone who has some experience working in the polar regions, especially at remote stations. There is such a thing as hard-to-reach stations. These include, for example, our stations in Antarctica.
Where do they train to become polar explorers?
There is an Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, founded back in 1920. But they don’t teach anyone there. The institute simply selects people of certain qualifications to work at polar stations.
A person with a diploma as a cook or mechanic comes to the human resources department of the institute and says that he wants to work at the station. If there is a need for this specialist, he is added to the reserve, and when the time comes, he is sent to Antarctica.
Special attention is given to newcomers to the station. Let's see how a person settles in. After wintering, the station chief writes whether he is suitable for work in the conditions of polar stations and subsequent expeditions.
How did your journey to Antarctica begin?
I'm not a lyricist. I didn’t dream about Antarctica, but I really wanted to get here, as I had heard many stories about it from friends and acquaintances.
In Soviet times, it was impossible to visit Antarctica as a tourist. That's why I went to work as a doctor (by training I am an anesthesiologist-resuscitator).
In 1985, the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute recommended me to participate in the expedition. Two years later I found myself in Antarctica for the first time.
I ended up at the Progress Soviet Antarctic station under construction. Now this is the most technologically advanced Russian base, but then it was literally cobbled together from cardboard boxes. Just a three by four plank house. You open the door, and you are already in Antarctica.
It was tough. They told us: “Guys, are you going to spend the winter or do you want to go home?” We stayed.
I spent 13 months on Progress without going out into the world. Then everything ended well for everyone - they overwintered normally. But this was a real school of North and South, where the South turned out to be more dangerous than the North.
Then I returned and worked in medicine. But in the 1990s, life was such that it was impossible to support a family on a doctor’s salary. And I was bored on the mainland. After 11 years I returned to Antarctica. The only one from the previous lineup.
What kind of expedition are you currently on?
This is my eighth winter and eleventh expedition.
Expeditions are usually seasonal. They last from four to six months, depending on the amount of work planned to be carried out. Work is divided into seasonal and wintering.
When going to the station, people sign a contract (even full-time employees), and upon returning they quit or go on long leave until the next expedition.
There are people who fly in for a month to do some specific work. After all, the institute receives applications from a variety of organizations. For example, at the beginning of February next year we are expecting aerosurveyors. We are also waiting for technical specialists who will prepare the station equipment for operation. A paleobiologist and glaciologist (a glacier specialist who studies ice movements) will come to us.
What are your daily responsibilities?
The station manager is responsible for everything: from purchasing things necessary for life to scientific activities.
There is a general program for all specialists, which describes the mission, tasks and scope of work that each expedition participant is required to perform.
For example, there is a task - monitoring sea level. In the event of ice formation, we must set up poles, place instruments, and take down information. All this is described from start to finish.
The administrator is responsible for the execution of all scientific programs, and if some process is not going well, it’s up to me.
Do polar explorers have social benefits and privileges?
There are currently no benefits for polar explorers as such. There are simply rules regulating work in the Far North.
Three years ago, when the Polar Explorer's Day holiday was established, all employees of polar stations were equated with workers of the Far North. What does it mean?
Sergei Nikitin: “My pension is huge - 15,000 rubles” Take, for example, cities in the Arctic Circle. Their residents also work in difficult conditions, but at the same time enjoy all the benefits of civilization, come home, lie down in a warm bath, sleep with their wives, see their children.
The gentlemen who are developing the laws for some reason decided that Antarctica, where the altitude is four kilometers, where there is hypoxia and -80 degrees, is Murmansk. I think this is unfair.
Previously, we had small privileges: the vacation was longer, the work experience was longer. All this was possible from the moment we crossed 50 degrees south latitude on the ship.
Currently, the minimum salary for a polar station employee is 60,000 rubles. Maximum - 150,000.
I'm already retired. My pension is huge - 15,000 rubles.
If you compare your work with office work, what are its features?
You can't fire a person at a polar station. It's very scary.
In Antarctica, everything that happened at the station is the station's problem. And everything happens. It's like a submarine. But submarines now go out for only a month (previously four), and there are special isolation wards for sailors or officers. Because even strong people have deviations.
“Bellingshausen” in this regard is a successful base, open to the outside world. It's scary at hard-to-reach stations. Illness and interpersonal disagreements can become a huge problem. The life of the entire station may be at risk.
The most important principle is not to teach others. If an adult feels that you are trying to change him, there will be a conflict. It’s better to think good about people here than bad.
The atmosphere at the station is immediately visible. When everything is good, the administrator has established relationships with everyone and between everyone, everyone walks around and smiles. You can sit in the company of a person and not notice him, and this is wonderful. When the situation is tense, people are excited, walk around warily, and look around.
How is life at the station?
Compared to that first Antarctica, where I ended up, life is now at a fairly high level. We have the Internet and television - what can I say.
But there is a serious katabatic wind here. Cold air, accelerating across the ice dome, where the temperature is -50 ° C, goes to the sea. As it accelerates, it heats up to about –30 °C. But this katabatic wind reaches a speed of 56 m/s, which is approximately 250 km/h. This is the most unpleasant natural phenomenon in Antarctica.
How do polar explorers relax at the station?
There is a saying: “Polar explorers are afraid of cold, hunger and work.” But this is more of a joke. We are not afraid of work. Sometimes we do it in emergency mode and in extreme conditions, because everyone wants to live.
Rest is a purely personal matter. All people are different. Some people like to read, others play sports.
We have a tennis table and a good gym where bodybuilding enthusiasts work on themselves. Sometimes we organize tennis tournaments. It can be a lot of fun.
We also try to celebrate birthdays and other holidays with joy. But without consequences.
What's missing most from the station?
When a normal person leaves somewhere for a long time, he only misses home.
