In May 2025, the Australian Antarctic Program initiated the extraction of a 3,000-meter ice core from Dome C North in East Antarctica. The project aims to retrieve the world's oldest continuous ice core, potentially reaching back two million years.
The drilling site, 1,200 kilometers from Casey research station, is at 3,000 meters above sea level, where temperatures can drop below minus 50 degrees Celsius. A team of 10, using six tractors, hauled nearly 600 tonnes of equipment across the ice.
The MYIC project, led by Dr. Joel Pedro, will provide data on past atmospheric compositions. The team plans to resume drilling in the 2025/26 summer, targeting completion by the 2028/29 season.