Greece will for the first time send scientists to Antarcticwho will participate in the next Bulgarian expedition and will travel with the research vessel “Saints Cyril and Methodius”, said in an interview with BTA the president of the non-governmental organization Hellenic Society of Polar Zones, Symeon Konstantinidis, Rear Admiral e.a. of the Navy with experience in oceanography and meteorology.

The chairman of the NGO participated in the International Polar Conference on cooperation between the Balkan countries in the polar regions within the framework of the European programs EUPolarNet-2 and POLARIN, held in Aghialo (Acheloi, in Bulgarian), a city in the Burgas province on the Black Sea, in last weekend.

“This is a big step for us towards the South Pole, because it is the first time that Greece will send its own scientistss. I would like to take the opportunity to thank Professor Hristo Pibirev for offering us this opportunity and opening the doors of the Bulgarian base in Antarctica for us”, stressed Konstantinidis.

He added that the organization’s plans also include the construction of a weather station on the frozen continent, which, however, will probably happen next year.

What will the Greek scientists do at the South Pole?

One of the scientists who will travel to Antarctica this year with the Bulgarian ship is professor at the University of Athens and deals with it astrophysics. He will make astronomical observations and measurements, Konstantinidis explained.

From the Greek side, the second scientific participation will be one professor at the Technical University of Cretewhich will conduct psychological tests for people living in isolated places to check for depression.

Another experiment will be to use videos created specifically to help people in isolated environments feel better.

During her stay, the researcher will also use a technique to measure the magnetism that people emit when they are under different emotions.

Mr. Konstantinidis added that he aspires to visit the frozen continent in the future, but for him now it is more important to coordinate the visit of Greek scientists there.

“When they return, we will learn from their experience and we will be able to organize more missions. We hope to be able to develop this cooperation between the Balkan countries and Europe and to be able to send scientists from Greece every year. In this way we will be able to acquire know-how and in the future build our own base or cooperate with other countries like Bulgaria and share scientific base, instruments, equipment. We will find a way, but the good thing is that we are neighbors, we are close and we can keep in touch more easily,” the NGO president emphasized.