| We're pleased to welcome Dr Martin Merrywhether of the Antarctic Centre in Christchurch, New Zealand |
| who has come along to talk to us today about the role of the Centre and the Antarctic Treaty. |
| Now my first question is about the choice of location for the centre. |
| Why Christchurch? Was it because of the climate? |
| Well, actually, New Zealand is the second closest country to Antarctica |
| and Christchurch is often used on Antarctic expeditions. |
| Right, so it's because of where we are... coupled with our historical role. |
| So tell us - what is the main purpose of the centre? |
| Oh well... we have two complementary roles. |
| One is as a scientific base for expeditions and research |
| and the other is as an information centre. |
| Tell us something about the role as a scientific base. |
| We're able to provide information about what scientists should take with them to the South Pole - |
| for example, the centre contains a clothing warehouse |
| where expeditions are supplied with suitable clothing for the extreme conditions. |
| I suppose you need a bit more than your normal winter coat! |
| Yes, exactly |
| and then there's also the specialist library and mapping services. |
| Right. |
| And which countries are actually located at the centre? |
| Well... the centre houses research programmes for New Zealand, |
| for The United States as well as for Italy... |
| there's even a US post office at the American airforce base here. |
| Really? |
| And what does the visitor's centre offer? |
| Well, since very few people will ever experience the Antarctic first hand, |
| the visitors' centre aims to recreate the atmosphere of Antarctica. |
| There's a mock camp site where you can see inside an Antarctic tent and imagine yourself sleeping there. |
| And the centre also acts as a showcase for the unique international co-operation |
| which exists in Antarctica today. |
| What is it actually like at the South Pole? |
| I know you've been there on a number of occasions. |
| Yes, I have and each time I'm struck by the awesome beauty of the place. |
| It's magnificent |
| but you can really only visit it in the summer months. |
| October to March. |
| Yes, because it's completely dark for four months of the year... |
| and, in addition, it has to be the coldest place on earth. |
| Colder than the North Pole? |
| Why's that? |
| Well, unlike the North Pole, which is actually a frozen sea, |
| Antarctica is a land mass shaped like a dome, |
| with the result that the winds blow down the slopes at speeds of up to 150 km an hour |
| and that's what makes it so cold. |
| And one other interesting thing is that Antarctica is the driest continent on earth, |
| surprisingly, and so you have to drink large amounts of water when you're there. |
| How old is Antarctica? |
| Oh, we're pretty sure it was part of a larger land mass but it broke away from the rest of the continent... |
| 170 million years ago. |
| How can you be certain of this? |
| Because fossils and rocks have been discovered in Antarctica |
| which are the same as those found in places such as Africa and Australia. |
| Amazing... to think that it was once attached to Africa... |
| Now let's just have a look at the Antarctic Treaty. |
| How far back does the idea of an international treaty go? |
| Well, as far back as the 19th century, |
| when 11 nations organised an international event. |
| When was that exactly? |
| In 1870. |
| And it was called the Polar Research Meeting. |
| And then, not long after that, |
| they organised something called the First International Polar Year. |
| And that took place when exactly? |
| Over two years from 1882 to 1883. |
| But it wasn't until the 1950s that the idea of an international treaty was proposed. |
| And in 1959, the Treaty was actually signed. |
| What do you see as the main achievements of the treaty? |
| Well, firstly, it means that the continent is reserved for peaceful use. |
| That's Article 1, isn't it? |
| Yes... |
| That's important since the territory belongs to everyone. |
| Yes but not as important as Article 5, |
| which prohibits any nuclear explosions or waste disposal. |
| Which is marvellous. |
| Well, I'm afraid we're going to have to stop there because I'm afraid we've run out of time. |
| Thanks for coming along today and telling us all about the centre and its work. |