Ariel Waldman led an expedition in Antarctica for five weeks to film microbes living under the ice. She brought microscopes into the field to film and investigate these microscopic extremophiles, exploring the otherwise invisible plants and animals that live in Antarctica. Ariel is a wildlife filmmaker, but at the microbial scale.

Ariel documented her expedition and what it's like in Antarctica over a five episode mini-series. From how to get to Antarctica to diving beneath the sea ice, the series reveals the experience of being in Antarctica in a way you likely haven't seen before.

Using the footage of creatures she filmed in the field, Ariel Waldman created an exploratory tour through the microscopic world of Antarctica. Life Under the Ice is a website that acts as a virtual microscope, enabling anyone to delve into the invisible world of microscopic plants, animals, and other creatures in Antarctica; as if you had been shrunk down and were wading through one large petri dish of curiosities.
Grab your safari hat and go:

The expedition was made possible through the National Science Foundation (NSF) Antarctic Artists & Writers program, with additional support provided by National Geographic.

Ariel opened the TED2020 conference mainstage with her work from Antarctica:

In this tour of the microscopic world, explorer and artist Ariel Waldman introduces the charismatic creatures lurking beneath Antarctica's massive ice sheet, the largest on earth. From "cuddly" water bears to geometric algae made of glass, Waldman shows how this seemingly barren landmass is actually a polar oasis of life -- if we just know where to look.

Ariel Waldman spent 5 weeks in Antarctica to film microbes living under the ice. Here's how she got there.