Nadia Frontier: How you survive the coldest place on Earth

How you survive the coldest place on Earth

The vast, white surface of Antarctica stretches for over 3 million square kilometers. On the coast of this expanse, just a few meters beneath the ice, lies a remarkably diverse realm that is home to over 8,000 species of sea denizens who rely on an arsenal of otherworldly traits to survive. So how do these species not only live, but thrive, in such harsh conditions? Nadia Frontier investigates. [Directed by Sharon Colman, narrated by Pen-Pen Chen, music by Miguel d'Oliveira].

Antarctica’s coastal waters, locked under meters of ice and colder than zero degrees Celsius, shelter a bustling world of over 8,000 species. These creatures endure the planet’s harshest conditions by slowing metabolisms and timing their growth and reproduction with fleeting, sunlit summers. Giant isopods can survive 50 days without eating, while sea spiders grow to dinner-plate size, taking advantage of the region’s oxygen-rich waters. This frozen ecosystem pulses with life, cycling between brief abundance and months of patient dormancy.