Science that blows my mind

As I drove the huge flatbed truck past the glaciers and crevasses I had no idea what I was carrying. I was told that I had a very important piece of cargo for the balloon projeft that is going on this summer. As I arrived at the secondary runway and science post past the Kiwi base I had no idea what to think. A door flung open to one of the temporary shacks on the ice and fifty scientists emerged in huge red coats wearing cameras around their necks and acting like they just got out for summer break. They came toward us wondering if all the materials had arrived safely. I told them I had taken care of their box and would help them unload it and bring them the contents. As we opened the 8 foot box minutes later I saw the most complex piece of scientific equptment I have ever laid eyes on. After having a short conversation, and dodging fifty cameras taking my picture opening the door, I realized what I was carrying. It was the brain for the biggest ozone and atmosphere project ever conducted! LDB, Long Duration Balloon, is a project that many scientists have worked on for years and only now has it come time to launch the balloon. This brain, a mass of cords, cables, computers, cameras, and crazy scientific devices, is worth millions of dollars and thousands of hours. It will be launched as soon as possible by a mosaic of international teams and will measure the ozone layer here and take pictures and readings of what it sees. This will give evidence of what it looks like, why it is thinning here, and what this means for the rest of the world in the future. After safely moving the piece and placing it exactly where they wanted it, they all applauded my two teamates and I while we realized we had nearly peed our pants trying not to drop this thing. On certain days the magnitude of these things just hits me. Today was one of those. I am living out the discovery channel every day and being a small part of some of the newest science in the world. Well, that was my day at the office.