Czech Antarctic Expedition

©National Geographic

Yesterday, six experts from Brno's Masaryk University left on an annual expedition to Antarctica.  The scientists will continue their research on geology, climate change, UV radiation and the ozone hole.  They will also test some new technologies developed here in Czechland.

In 2006 the Czech Republic finished building the state-of-the-art Mendel Polar Station on James Ross Island in Antarctica.

The teams go to the station every January to March, during the Antarctic summer, when the weather is the best.

Update:  On 14 March 2016 an automated weather station recorded a temperature of 17,8 ℃ (64.04 ℉) which is an all time high.  More evidence of global warming.

The team also discovered a new species of bacteria which they named Pseudomonas gregormendeli.  It is named after Johan Gregor Mendel, the 19th-century founder of modern genetics.  The discovery will be published in the journal Current Microbiology.