[In Depth] Science suffers in cold war over polar base
Thursday, January 19, 2017 - 15:11
in Earth & Climate
It's summer in Antarctica, the season for science. But at the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica research station, Belgium's futuristic research outpost in East Antarctica, not a single Belgian researcher is at work. A protracted dispute between the Belgian government and the International Polar Foundation, which built and operates the station, has resulted in the cancellation of this year's Belgian expedition to Antarctica. The only scientists to pay a visit so far this year are two scientists from Switzerland and two private grantees. At the heart of the dispute is a straightforward question: Who controls the Princess Elisabeth? Author: Martin Enserink