NAMS Scientist Sails to Antarctica to explore life in extreme environment

March 2019

In early February, Dr. Jessica Snyder sailed 500 miles through Antarctica’s South Shetland Islands as a Guest Scientist with Quixote Expeditions aboard the Ocean Tramp - a 66 ketch rigged sailboat. Pioneers of sailing the Southern Ocean and owners of Quixote Expeditions, Laura and Fede made Jessica’s trip possible through a program they established to support original scientific work and provoke exploration as part of their charter cruises. Jessica, a scientist with Space Science and Astrobiology Division working on the NAMS Synthetic Biology Task, took this opportunity to extend her research on life in the extremes to the South Shetlands. 

The charismatic megafauna - the humpback whales, orca, and fur seals - are one part of Antarctica's wildlife, but there are many microscopic organisms that come to life during the long summer days and comparatively warmer weather. Jessica went to find the smallest inhabitants of the continent. She searched the moss and tidal pools for microorganisms, which provide new insights for biotechnology in space. Jessica aimed to better understand how these highly adaptive organisms oscillate between animation and hibernation to discover mechanisms that would preserve biological resources during the many years of a human mission to Mars or beyond. However, using her training as a mechanical engineer, Jessica noticed the many species she found in the moss each had unique modes of locomotion. She is interested in defining the interconnected - predator and prey as one example - methods of movement for possible application to soft robotics design and systems engineering.

Jessica would like to thank the crew of the Ocean Tramp - Captain David Roberts, Thomas, and Emmanuelle Bily, as well as her fellow passenger for their adventurous spirit and open mind. Applications for next year’s Guest Scientist program will open in the spring for those interested in applying.