Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American's Science Quickly, this is Rachel Feltman. You're listening to part two of our Friday Fascination miniseries all about Antarctica. [CLIP: Theme music] Last week we met award-winning Brazilian journalist Sofia Moutinho onboard a U.

S. icebreaker called the Nathaniel B. Palmer.

Today we'll follow her as she and her fellow passengers hit the ice—literally disembarking onto one of the many ice floes that drift through the Southern Ocean. They'll have to navigate tricky terrain and frigid temperatures to collect samples of pristine ice, which is crucial for helping scientists figure out how the world's waterways will change as our warming climate melts this region's glaciers and ice shelves. On supporting science journalism If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing.

By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. But before we get into all that science—and the hard work that makes it possible—Sofia has some new friends to introduce us to. Tara Williams: It's bowing [laughs]! Kouba: It's just so much gratitude.

It's just—it's once in a lifetime, these things. I just—oh, my God [cries louder]! Sofia Moutinho (tape): Are you crying? Kouba: I just—I'm absolutely crying! Moutinho (tape): You cried, too, right? Williams: Yes, a few times [cries and laughs at the same time]. It's just beau.