Biscuits sit on the counter undisturbed and a seal carcass hangs from the wall.
There is practically no sign of decay. The rare environment that protects this tableau is an irresistible lure to scientists. When the National Science Foundation sent Rich McLean, Bob Reed, and Steve Railsback to assess the environmental impact of U.S. scientific activity on Antarctica, the researchers found a startling dichotomy. Fourteen hours a day for 10 days, the ORNL team documented problems and procedures at McMurdo the year-round station of NSF's U.S. Antarctic Program. They also noted large-scale, open burning of waste and the concentrated discharge of raw sewage into McMurdo Sound.