Antarctica: Turkey sets up landmark polar base

<p>By Mehmet Emin Gurbuz</p> <p>BOLU, Turkey (AA) – A team of Turkish scientists now in Antarctica has established a temporary science base on the bottom of the world, said the nation’s industry and technology minister on Monday.</p> <p> Following the setting up of the landmark base, Turkish &quot;scientists are currently planning their third science expedition to Antarctica,&quot; Mustafa Varank told a campaign rally in Bolu.</p> <p>Earlier this month, a Turkish team led by scientist Burcu Ozsoy — Turkey’s second team to the frozen continent — traveled to Antarctica for a 30-day expedition.</p> <p>The current expedition follows up on 2016, when the first-ever Turkish team of researchers — including doctors, botanists, geologists and oceanographers from seven universities — traveled to Antarctica to study the impact of climate change.</p> <p> The current expedition is supported by the Turkish Presidency, the Industry and Technology Ministry, and Istanbul Technical University’s Polar Research Center, along with other Turkish universities. </p> <p> </p> <p>-Continent reserved for humanity </p> <p>Antarctica, which has no indigenous inhabitants and is not ruled by any country, is called the “peace and science continent.” It has served as a scientific research zone since the signing of the 1959 Antarctic Treaty.</p> <p>The Council of Managers of National Antarctic Program, formed in 1988, includes 30 members which have more than 100 scientific bases in moderately mild regions of the continent. </p> <p>The university's Polar Research Center was established in Antarctica in 2015 with the aim of doing research and raising Turkey's profile among the international scientific community.</p>