Quick Dips

Antarctic Daylight Saving

It may be light 24 hours a day during the Antarctic summer, but that hasn't prevented Scott Base from joining the rest of New Zealand in daylight saving for the first time.

The decision required the mutual consent of both the New Zealand and US Antarctic programmes, and is aimed at preventing confusion with aircraft and communications schedules between Antarctica and New Zealand.

The changeover is having little effect on the already-disrupted sleep patterns of the 35 base staff, says Scott Base representative Dave Comber, adding that some scientists in the field have been reversing day and "night" to suit their research anyway.