First Greek Scientist in Antarctica

(Photo credit: HamishM)

A Greek scientist Evangelos Kaimakamis is the new ESA-sponsored medical research doctor for Concordia, a joint French-Italian inland Antarctic research station run by the French Polar Institute and Italian Antarctic Programme, which hosts a human research protocol coordinated by the European Space Agency (ESA) and Concordia partners every year, supplied by universities and research institutions from across Europe.

After a long and tiring journey that took him from Greece, via Frankfurt, Singapore, Sidney, Christchurch, McMurdo and Terra Nova bases to Antarctica, Kaimakamis finally arrived at Concordia base, on January 22. In the Concordia blog, he notes both his excitement for having being selected to join the project as well as the huge responsibility this entails.

"Living and working in such conditions, plus dealing with the effects of constant darkness and isolation during the winter is definitely an achievement, but also a matter of great scientific interest," he notes.

Concordia is one of the most appropriate places on Earth to study the effects of these adverse parameters to the human body and mind, because it simulates conditions in space bases with the aim of drawing conclusions that can help astronauts in future space missions, but also people living and working in extreme and confined places on earth. greeknewsagenda