site.btaProf. Pimpirev: 33rd Bulgarian Antarctic Expedition Was Most Successful

The head of the Bulgarian polar expeditions Prof. Christo Pimpirev told BTA that the 33rd Bulgarian Antarctic Expedition was one of the most successful ones so far, as it not only fulfilled all the set tasks, but it also exceeded the expectations. It brought together specialists working in geology, glaciology, astronomy, high atmosphere physics, biology and museum work, Pimpirev said. Among the highlights was collecting live specimens for a museum exhibit in Bulgaria.

The expedition included scientists from Colombia, the United Arab Emirates, Greece, Montenegro, Romania and Portugal. Particularly significant was the commitment of the Bulgarian base as a leader in polar research in the Balkan region, as none of Bulgaria's neighbours have their own Antarctic base, polar programme or consultative status in the Antarctic Treaty, making Bulgarian infrastructure key to the development of polar research in the region, Pimpirev said.

An important focus of the latest expedition is art. Two teams are working on film productions. One will be a documentary narrated by Eleni Dekidis and produced by Wolfgang Knopfler, and the other one is a project by Aleksandar Antov dedicated to Bulgarian scientists and their interaction with the nature of Antarctica.

Commenting on the new science lab at the Bulgarian base, Pimpirev said, "We have set a very high bar for both our research and for the conditions we are creating [...] because we are working in the field of microbiology. We have a project to study Antarctic yeasts to create new drugs against cancer. We are doing massive studies there that are for all of humanity."

The expedition also marked a significant success with its first visit to Smith Island, one of the most inaccessible places in the South Shetland Islands. During the exploration Pimpirev collected valuable geological samples that will be analyzed after they are brought back to Bulgaria.

In view of all the achievements, Pimpirev is confident that the 33rd Bulgarian Antarctic expedition sets an extremely high bar for Bulgaria's future polar missions. The country is establishing itself as an important player in global polar research, ready to share its expertise with other nations.