Swiss doctor returns from Antarctica after total isolation
Published: Wednesday, Dec 25th 2024, 10:10
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Swiss doctor Jessica Studer spent a year conducting biomedical research in one of the most remote places on earth. At the "Concordia" station in Antarctica, the 34-year-old experienced four months of complete darkness and temperatures as low as minus 80 degrees Celsius.
The medical scientist investigated the effects of extreme isolation and environmental conditions on the human body. The European Space Agency (ESA) hopes that this will provide insights for future space missions, as Studer revealed in a recently published podcast in the "Spaceinfo Club" series.
The ESA sends a doctor to Antarctica every year. Studer was part of the twentieth winter crew at the station, which is located over a thousand kilometers from the coast, on an Antarctic plateau over 3,000 meters high.
Complete isolation
One of the challenges was the high altitude. Among other things, this causes a lack of oxygen in the blood. "If you go outside and have to walk a few meters, you get out of breath very, very quickly," said Studer. Another consequence is difficulty concentrating or working. The long periods of darkness can lead to sleep problems. And the desolation also affects the mind. This manifests itself in mood swings and daytime tiredness.
Studer and the people on the ward were on their own. "Knowing that you're locked up, that you can't go outside, is a huge burden." In the winter months, there is no possibility of a plane landing nearby due to the horrendous cold. "It's just too cold."
On the International Space Station, it is possible to evacuate someone within 24 hours in the event of a medical emergency. This is not possible on the Concordia during the winter months. "In the event of a medical problem, we have to rely on what we have on the station," said Studer. "This is a challenge from a medical point of view, but also from a social point of view."
"Be prepared for anything"
There is a ward doctor and an ESA doctor on the ward, "that's it". "If you imagine that your appendix becomes inflamed or a cardiovascular incident occurs during the mission, there are only the two of us on the station who can take care of it." The worst thing that could happen is an operation for which they are not prepared. "The aim is to be prepared for everything."
"We live here with our 'family', and that's all there is to it," said the researcher. "We can of course make phone calls to Europe, we can send text messages, but we don't have any real social interactions." Over time, the people on the ward are like family members or siblings: "You love them, but sometimes they get on your nerves."
Jessica Studer began her professional career in music: she studied classical music and graduated with a master's degree in music and education before working as a music teacher. Her passion for medicine led her to a second career path: after studying pharmacology and biomedicine, she completed a medical degree in Switzerland.
It doesn't take much to survive
During her training, she discovered her interest in human physiology in extreme environments. She became interested in space medicine through the analog space mission Asclepios from Switzerland. She later completed an internship at the French Space Agency (CNES). Finally, she applied to join the Antarctic crew as an ESA research physician.
On her career so far, she said: "I'm not saying it's always easy, but I think life is too short to do things you don't really want to do." Her advice: "You're only going to be good at the things that really interest you, so I would go for that."
When she left Europe for Antarctica, Studer was full of zest for action. "You're allowed to take three aluminum boxes with you, and I couldn't decide what I wanted to pack in them." Looking back, she didn't really read any books during her year in isolation and didn't really do all the things she wanted to do. "You have your work, your station, your social time with the crew members and that's basically it."
According to Studer, it doesn't take much to survive in Antarctica. "A person doesn't really need much to survive," she said. "The question is, of course, how long you can survive."
©Keystone/SDA
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