Pakistan, Nov. 1 -- Two French adventurers, explorer Matthieu Tordeur and glaciologist Heidi Sevestre, have begun a daring three-month expedition across Antarctica on kite skis in search of ice dating back 130,000 years. The mission, titled Under Antarctica, aims to deepen understanding of how melting ice could affect global sea levels amid rising temperatures.

Speaking from Cape Town before departing for the Novolazarevskaya base, Sevestre described the mission as a blend of "ambitious science and adventure." The pair will travel 4,000 kilometers in extreme isolation, enduring temperatures as low as 50C, while hauling sleds packed with supplies and scientific equipment.

Using ground-penetrating radars, they plan to locate ancient ice s...