In this episode of This is Physics, Physics Magazine speaks with two researchers and a chef who have spent the entire polar night at the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station. The two researchers work with telescopes observing the cosmic microwave background.

Podcast host Julie Gould speaks with the following guests: Thomas Leps, BICEP/NSF/University of Minnesota; Allen Foster, SPT/NSF/Case Western Reserve University; Kelly Murphy, breakfast/pastry sous chef, NSF.

Music credit: Symphony Antarctica (excerpts from The Seasons: I. Summer and IV. Spring; Telescopes to the Stars: III. Cosmic Strings and IV. Quiet Nights), by Valmar Kurol and Michael Stibor. The symphony is the duo’s fourth album inspired by Antarctica. Kurol is a director of the Antarctican Society.

Image credit: Artsiom P/stock.adobe.com

Produced by Julie Gould.