Explorers Jamie Facer Childs and Justin Packshaw

In an astonishing feat of endurance, explorers Justin Packshaw (right) and Jamie Facer Childs are undertaking a 3600-km kitesurf trek that takes them across the desolate heart of Antarctica. They are not pushing their physical and mental limits to the brink, facing howling gales and temperatures of –55°C just for the sake of adventure. They are gathering information to help scientists better understand how the body responds to extremes and taking unique measurements that will help complement ESA’s CryoSat data to better understand how this giant ice sheet is responding to climate change.

Read full story: Kitesurfing the white wilderness for science