Man's Heritage: Under Antarctic Ice
Pearl, 8pm
Off Antarctica's frozen coastline lies one of Earth's most stable and vibrant ecosystems - and one of its most enchanting realms. On the surface, it's the bleakest of places, with ferocious winds, flightless birds, and enough ice to flood half the planet's population were it to melt. But below that frozen mass, a fantastic marine environment teems with life.
This beautiful film was shot in high-definition format over two years by renowned underwater photographer Norbert Wu, who set up base with two oceanographic researchers at the frontier outpost, McMurdo Station, within sight of the volcanic Mount Erebus. From there, with the help of a dive co-ordinator at McMurdo, they carefully searched for places where the ice was thin enough to dig access holes and where the underwater environment was suitable and reasonably safe for a descent.
Throughout the film, Wu and his companions find ingenious ways to bring us a world that only a fraction of humanity will ever witness first-hand.
The West Wing