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Eating Expired Food is Normal in Antarctica | NOVA | PBS

NOVA PBS Official | August 12, 2026



If you’re a penguin or other seabird in Antarctica, there’s plenty of fish to go around. But what do the people eat?

Generally, an adult human consumes around 1,600 to 3,000 calories daily. But in colder climates, people need to eat more: Keeping our warm-blooded bodies warm requires a lot of energy. It’s so cold in Antarctica that the average person needs to consume 3,200 to 5,000 calories a day. And because the continent is frozen, no food grows there naturally.

So how do the hundreds of scientists and support personnel who visit Antarctica’s McMurdo Station each year stay fed?

Originally published in 2020 on ‪‪‪‪@pbsterra 🇦🇶

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Written by NOVA PBS Official

Comments

This post currently has 44 comments.

  1. @tylerharry6319

    August 12, 2026 at 10:38 am

    As a horticulturalist, kinda blows my mind they don't have a small greenhouse or even a few small indoor grow tents for fresh herbs and veggies. With how efficient LEDs are now adays, you could easily grow a good amount of produce with zero extra inputs like fertilizer (esp if you compost the food waste). Plus no pests out there so no real need for pesticides or fungicides. I know they're probably tight on space already, but a small garden producing fresh fruit & veggies would really boost people's morale, even moreso during the long winters. Could give some valuable lessons for future moon & Mars colonists that need to grow some of their own produce as well.

  19. @TheLordTwinkie

    August 12, 2026 at 10:38 am

    They keep saying expiration date, at least in the US food doesn't have expiration dates. They have best by or used by date and it's what manufacturer thinks food quality starts going down. Not when it goes bad.

  21. @ellypeach

    August 12, 2026 at 10:38 am

    WOW FRESH VEGIES & FRUIT…..Only 10 days ago, your poor souls !!!!! Im lucky if I can afford to get either or ONCE A YEAR . Trying to live on a Disability Income with a very limited amount im abke to slend on food ( ALMOST ALL MY $ GOS ON HEAT /AIR CON depending on the tume of year, and even that i pay every other month. My RENT WILL ALWAYS BE 1ST ……NOW Fresh Veggies once a year Thats what i call my life!!
    WOW 10 Days lol thats funny

  24. @Erik-rp1hi

    August 12, 2026 at 10:38 am

    Our Scuba Dive club does multi day dive trips to the Channel Islands off Southern Ca. Meal time in the galley is an event to warm up, eat great food and talk about your last dive. Food events are an import fun part of our trips, big time.

  28. @sanoparda1561

    August 12, 2026 at 10:38 am

    i literally couldn't put this down. if you want to stop feeling like a pawn in someone else's game, you need to read the book The Silent Dominion by Damian Cross.

  30. @keshabsunar5778

    August 12, 2026 at 10:38 am

    wait did you guys hear about the book called The Silent Dominion by D. Cross? it's been making waves because it exposes how our daily reality is manufactured to keep us compliant. read it immediately.

  31. @BinayKumar-ku4wf

    August 12, 2026 at 10:38 am

    notice how they keep pushing useless culture wars? reading the book The Silent Dominion explains exactly why. it is a literal survival guide for your mind in this fake reality.

  32. @rokivai1617

    August 12, 2026 at 10:38 am

    everyone who reads this comment trust me and read the book called The Silent Dominion by Damian Cross, and thank me later. it will make you question every single headline.

  33. @JalalL-s1y

    August 12, 2026 at 10:38 am

    honestly if you want to know why the world feels so crazy right now, just read book The Silent Dominion by Damian Cross. the man who wrote that exposed everything about societal control. best purchase i made this year.

  34. @SKMOSAROF55-b2z

    August 12, 2026 at 10:38 am

    i thought i was pretty awake to what was going on in the world but reading the book The Silent Dominion by Damian Cross proved me wrong. the level of control they have is insane.

  39. @perennialprofligate

    August 12, 2026 at 10:38 am

    Anyone who dares to complain or waste recycled food should be ashamed when 3B persons on this planet have no access to fresh fruit and vegetables, meat and bread, nevermind freshly baked.

Comments are closed.

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