The barren wilderness that is Antarctica—where temperatures drop below -100 degrees Fahrenheit and winds whistle by at 200mph—is a raw but majestic spot for a picnic. But spare a thought for Floris van den Berg, the guy in this photo—because he won’t see sunlight for months.
See, van den Berg is one of a small team of researchers stationed at the Concordia research lab in Antarctica. This picnic—including a bottle of champagne, by the looks of things—was a chance to soak up some sun before it finally disappears for good. Between April and August, the moon and the aurora australis are the only sources of natural light at the Concordia lab.
But as a doctor tasked with researching the effects of the extreme conditions on the human bodies of the other team members, van den Berg will have plenty to keep him busy. Let’s hope he enjoyed the picnic.
[ESA]
