OK I admit I have not yet had a chance to read through/watch all the links but I would just like to say as someone who has actually been to Antarctica on one of the Oz research expeditions back in '91. The so called Rigorous Quarantine procedures really aren't that rigorous. The ship I went down on was full of crew from all over the place and certainly had not been through any major medical checks, I never had any major medical checks and I am pretty sure most of the rest of the expedition didn't either.
You see all through the summer the bases receive supply shipments with short term visiters on board (such as myself, I spent a total of 4 days at Casey station). These short term visiters do not go through as many tests and training procedure as those that stay throughout the incredibly long winter. These short term visiters can be made up of anyone from scientists, engineers, military(me) or even the odd film crew or two (we had Andrew Denton from Oz Tv and his film crew with us).
So I guess my point here is..It is not that difficult for a bug to make it's way there..and it is never that difficult to spin a sensational story about a place that few people know anything about.

Not that that won't stop me reading up on all the links and trying to see what the real story is. I recall some of the Glacial scientists with us were going out to do some research on the "Dome" but I had my own work to do and didn't really pay any attention to this.

My incredibly important work by the way was to install two DGPS positioning systems near the base so the scientist types could track continental drift in the region..and yes it was one of the most amazing experiences in my entire life..next to meeting my wife and then my duaghter..

Cheers

CTH

Originally posted by CthulhuRising
OK I admit I have not yet had a chance to read through/watch all the links but I would just like to say as someone who has actually been to Antarctica on one of the Oz research expeditions back in '91. The so called Rigorous Quarantine procedures really aren't that rigorous.

Thks for confirming what I suspected might well be the case.

Although quarantine, however vigorous, presumable don't prevent heart attacks or frostbite or homesickness.

I recall some of the Glacial scientists with us were going out to do some research on the "Dome" but I had my own work to do and didn't really pay any attention to this.

Perhaps something to do with the EPICA project (before someone starts thinking that 'dome' is a reference to a manmade structure ) ?

There is a theory that black ops were trying to move the magnetic poles by nuclear means, deep underground in Antartica.

In other words creating a man made pole shift. Playing God.

I believe they will not be successful at this but probably will still try to destroy the pristine environment. When firms quote things like "We stopped drilling as it was environmentally unsound", I tend to sit up and take notice. At no time in the hostory of mankind have any big businesses been thwarted by any altruistic agenda. Neither theirs or anyone elses.
The drilling at Vostok sounds suspicious.

Man that was an anti-climax after listing to that full interview. For he first 5 minutes I was riveted then it went downhill from there. At least Art provided some balance to Hoagland's outlandish ideas.

Seeing as this was 6 years ago and various studies, like those kindly linked above, have been done on the micro organisms in the ice I don't think alien artifacts were found nor the andromeda strain.

Let's face it folks, if researchers found something previously unknown, and dangerous, down there that infected an entire crew of people, or were experimenting with deadly biologicals and screwed up, those people would never again leave the continent.

No government would be stupid enough to allow such contamination to spread (unless you believe the "population reduction" theory, but biologicals would be unreliable and difficult to control in such a scenario--you'd be just as likely to kill the elites as you would the third-world poor, vaccines or no) and would certainly not risk an airplane, aircrew, medical team, etc. to bring the infected people back.

They'd be left to rot and eventually freeze, that base quietly destroyed or simply abandoned (easy to do, just throw a blurb on the news about some major mechanical failure cut with stock footage of a C-130 being loaded to placate the uncaring populace; left unattended it would be buried soon with few traces of its ever having existed) and a new base built to replace it.

Few, if any would even ask about the researchers there, unless they follow this sort of thing; even their deaths could be easily covered up with the previously-mentioned mechanical failure explanation (power failed, no heat, no way to cook food, supplies ran out, etc.).

Either way, if they ran across something dangerous, they'd be "sacrificed".

Originally posted by Zaphod58
But you asked why they pulled out so many people at once, and I gave you the answer to your question.

No, no, no. You gave A POSSIBLE ANSWER to the question. The only ones who know why they did something are those that did the something. And sometimes even then they don't know why.

Antarctica - Why did ALL the Researchers get sick at the same time?.....

What if the researchers had ridiculed or annoyed one particular member of the team........a particular member who thought it would be funny to fill the T pot with Yellow Snow!
Big T pot...about a dozen cups. Revenge can be sweet (two lumps please.......................sssssssssp!, better make that six"!)

JUST MY 2 CENTS... THE MORE INTERESTING THING IS A LACK OF FOLLOW UP INFORMATION REGARDING THE PROJECT... on the note of the sickness well im sure sub zero temperatures arnt too good on an immune system. resulting in minor sickens and possibly making more serious conditions worse... if it where a much larger number to throw off the chance of coincidence.

radiation sickness of sorts tht would make sence because it would effect most people no matter how physically fit they where or not.

Another dynamite OP Duckster. I read about two years back a whole station going down with the 'ick'. Members were quarantined to quarters who were afflicted, meals brought to them. Supposing they could actually eat them. I have all the webcams bookmarked from the antarctica stations. I saw at McMurdo about a dozen members huddled up looking at two or three aerial objects over some small mountains a ways out. I wish those cams were streaming and HD. They have pumped millions into their southerly research facilities and now a permanent runway to accomodate a c137. Now and again odd tales surface. Lake Vostock is a huge enigma. As is reports of tropical plants found flash frozen in the ice.