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Though the North Pole has quite a reputation during the holidays, the South Pole is always a hive of activity, as scientists at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station investigate everything from the origins of the universe to pollutants in the atmosphere. Since 1956, the U.S. has maintained an uninterrupted presence at the planet’s southernmost point.
Today, the National Science Foundation (NSF) funds and manages the U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP). The Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, or simply the South Pole Station, is one of three stations NSF operates under USAP. It is located at the geographic South Pole, 90 degrees south latitude. The Aurora Australis, pictured here, dances above the South Pole Station. Auroras are caused by the excitation of charged particles in the upper atmosphere as solar winds travel along Earth’s magnetic field.Image credit: Patrick Cullis, National Science Foundation
